Zaid says will win — eventually

Zaid said he was taken aback by the hostility towards his decision to contest the deputy presidency. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has been unfazed by the growing support for his contender, Azmin Ali, in the PKR deputy presidency race, claiming he would likely win the next round even if he faltered now. Both party strongmen are due to slug it out to replace incumbent Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali, who opted not to defend the post in the party’s first direct elections since its formation in 1999 and merger with Parti Rakyat Malaysia in 2003.
The former Umno man, who created headlines when he joined PKR last year after ending his brief stint in Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Cabinet in 2008, told The Malaysian Insider in an interview that he would continue his campaign even if he lost in the coming polls.
“Well, if you lose once, it does not mean you will lose again. No problem. I will try again... I am still young, only approaching 60,” Zaid said when met at the Tropicana clubhouse near his residence here.
Looking relaxed, he said that it was “okay” that he was walking into this fight alone, claiming that in the long term, he was likely to win.

Azmin has secured clear and visible support in the race.

Unlike Zaid, Azmin has received endorsements for the deputy presidency race from a host of PKR leaders, including 20 MPs and 13 state assemblymen from Selangor and Negri Sembilan before confirming his candidacy yesterday. “I will win. I am sure of that. If I do not get the support now, or if not tomorrow, then next year or the year after. You never know,” Zaid said.
The former de facto law minister expressed confidence that if all PKR members knew of his visions and goals for the party, they would back him 100 per cent.
“If they knew me, not just on a personal level, but if they understand in full what I want to do, then yes, why not?
“Unfortunately, our culture does not encourage discourse or debates. Instead, we are branded and people label you and you have to live with that label. It just takes time for people to see the kind of things you have to offer them,” he said.
Zaid pointed out that his brand of politics was clear-cut and vision-based, and that he was an “honest man” who did not believe in flip-flopping on his policies.
“I have been in politics for a long time. I was a minister before and I do not have the ambition to be somebody, the prime minister or something, at some point.
“I want to be a catalyst or someone who can help make the country a better place in terms of policies — that is why I left the government. I am very clear on what I want to do,” he said.
Zaid also said he believed he could bring more inclusiveness in the party and unite the factions.
“I do not like camps or cliques. I do not have preferred leaders. I do not have that sort of habit in me.
“I look at people for the value they give... for the contributions they make and that is how I judge them. I am slightly more open-minded in the way I look at things, and as a reformist party, we need new ideas, new people, the ability to tap into people’s strengths and I think I can play that role,” he said.

Zaid laughed off claims that he was engineering a takeover of the party leadership.

Zaid also scoffed at talk that party members, especially the present leadership, believed that he had an intention to singlehandedly take over the party and gain power for himself. “Why is everyone so worked up? Why do they think of me as so dangerous? You know what they are saying about me... that there are so-called enemies within the party.
“If there are enemies, then why did you not stop us from coming in, in the first place? So it is very strange that these people say these things... just because you offer yourself up for contest,” he said.
When he decided to offer himself up as a candidate, Zaid explained, his only intention was to offer PKR members an alternative so they could feel they had a say in the party’s future.
“I just want to help the party. I want to contribute. I have certain skills and strength... I think. I just want to give the members an alternative so why is everyone blocking me? I do not understand. I find it hard to understand.
“I am just offering myself just in case members think there are things we can do differently, certain approaches can be different and maybe we should have someone else as a leader, who is not a part of the group from 1998,” he said.
He also dispelled fears that he would bring Umno’s culture into PKR, claiming that his was the more “enlightened” culture of Umno.
“The question now is — are the members happy with the party? With the cultures, the values, with the whole set up, with the preparations? If they are happy, they can just vote for the present group of leaders, right?” he said.
Zaid said he was disappointed, however, in the reactions displayed by party leaders at his decision to contest, accusing them of failing to show respect to their own party members.
“That is the problem with the leaders... they think they know what is good for the party. But if that is so, then why have elections? Just appoint the leaders.
“The whole point of having direct elections is to show trust to your members. If you think they cannot think for themselves, then just forget elections,” he said.
He added that the present PKR leaders had proven their lack of commitment to the party’s reformist ideals with their open display of disapproval for his bid to contest.
“It is proven by this chorus of disapproval that I, as a new guy, am offering myself [up for election]. There is a chorus of opposition, accusing me of bad faith and bad intention. That is what is wrong with this party.
“If I am so bad, then I should not have been admitted into the party. If I am not that bad, then I should be allowed a fair contest without discrimination or personal attacks,” he said.
Zaid, however, promised that he would continue to stay low-key in his campaign, claiming confidence that although he did not have a large “delegation” of supporters like Azmin, the grassroots still backed him.
“At least I think so. Let the members decide,” he said, shrugging.
Conceding to the difficult competition, Zaid nevertheless pledged that he would not resort to underhandedness to gain support.
“Any contest is tough. Never underestimate your opponent. I am not blind... I know what is happening but I never shy away from a good contest.
“But on my side, the competition will stay friendly. I will not play the same game. If they are weak, I will say so but I think I am better and I will explain why I am better,” he said.
Zaid had previously alleged that since announcing his intention to contest late last month, his loyalty to the party has been questioned and he was also accused of working for former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin to destroy PKR.
He also claimed that he was warned that he risk being “buried” — the way the late Tun Ghafar Baba had been in the 1993 Umno party election — if he chooses to stay in the race.
Then, Ghafar only received four nominations in that contest and withdrew from the race in favour of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Some 400,000 PKR members began voting across the weekend, in polls that will run until November 21.
The party amended its constitution last year allowing all members to vote for divisional leaders and the 25 members of the central leadership council — including the president, deputy president and four vice-presidents.
The party’s 218 divisions will hold two separate meetings: One for the annual general meeting and election of divisional leaders, and a second meeting to vote for national leaders.
The divisions will vote for national leaders over several weekends, from October 29 to November 21.