By : Datuk Omar Mustapha Ong
You have enemies? Good … That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. [Winston Churchill]
Early yesterday morning, Tun Daim Zainuddin, 86, passed away after a long illness. There will be much ink spilled about the man in the coming days.
Most if not all of the English business media and blogs will be unflattering. Daim will be eulogised as a fabulously wealthy former Finance Minister and long time Treasurer of UMNO. Having long been vilified, many – including those currently occupying the commanding heights of business and government – would rather he be remembered a villain. For those who recall their history, echoes of Tun Tan Siew Sin and Tan Sri Tan Koon Swan linger heavily in the air.
Few will be willing to mention let alone acknowledge what Tun Daim was at his very core: a shrewd, careful and fearless businessman whose first love was making money. He made money for himself, for the political party he once belonged and for his country – perhaps in that order too. Like any good businessman everywhere, he was sought out by the powers that be and was ultimately roped into government not once but twice. Which inevitably attracts more attention and jealousy. Just ask Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. But that’s life.
I first met Daim when I was still in university in the early nineties. He had just left government by then after his first stint as Finance Minister. I was running a student magazine and sought an interview with this elusive, diminutive wizard of a man. The interview went well, he was surprisingly candid. When I asked about his time in government, his reply struck me till today. “Omar, you cannot be a good businessman and a good politician at the same time. A good businessman has no business being popular. A politician is a failed politician if he is unpopular. You must choose what and who you want to be.”
I would see Daim regularly over the years. His office at Wisma YPR would call every now and then to say Tun would like a chat. He had a habit of going through the mountain of papers on his messy desk while in conversation, putting his pencil down only when he wished to make an important point. We talked mostly about world events, the global economy, market cycles for all kinds of commodities, the mood of the business community and to me most interestingly, his adventures doing business abroad, particularly in Africa and Eastern Europe.
Outwardly, he was a shy man of few words, but in private he was a man of the world and enjoyed a good debate (and a well delivered joke!). Our chats would often last past the hour. He has never once offered me a drink or kuih. That’s Daim for you. Business-like, inquisitive and matter of fact. But he would also end by thanking me for coming by and that I should not hesitate to reach out.
And reach out I did one particular time shortly after I started working at a global MNC. I had been nominated by the UNDP Malaysia office to represent the country as a delegate to the 50th Youth Commemorative Assembly of the United Nations in New York. The UN would pay for my accommodation but I would need to get to New York on my own dime. I promptly shared this good news with my departmental boss who was good enough to allow me to take days off but said the company would not cover my air fare. So I rang Mei at Daim’s office and explained my predicament. The return call was swift: Tun will pay for your return flight to New York on economy (but of course). The company ended up paying for my ticket when they learned that Tun Daim would have been my benefactor!
Through the decades, our paths crossed intermittently but always at critical junctures. He was instrumental in my decision to join McKinsey. On another occasion I declined his offer to serve in a senior political role, reminding him of his own words to choose between politics and business. It was a fortuitous decision as Daim stepped down for the second and final time in Cabinet less than two years later. He continued to do serious business here and abroad. I was content to run my own strategy consulting and private equity firms.
In a world now where successful Malays are to be regarded as cronies or crooks, Tun Daim was to be its chief architect and poster boy. His razor sharp instincts and business acumen that led him to become a valued and trusted confidante of presidents and prime ministers, would need to be obscured and preferably erased. His fault was to be Malay and fabulously wealthy – a feat considered genetically impossible. He was Finance Minister for nine of his eighty six years and some will want those years to define the totality of his existence. I pray and hope not.
In the thirty odd years I have known this quiet enigma of a man, he has touched the lives and careers of so many promising young Malaysians. This enduring commitment to the future of Malaysia will be one of Tun Daim’s most important legacies.
May Allah have mercy on his servant Allahyarham Daim bin Zainuddin for He alone is all knowing and the ultimate arbiter of all things.
https://omarmustapha.blog/2024/11/15/the-tun-daim-i-knew/
Beliau seorang penganalisa bebas, bekas pengasas firma perunding strategi Ethos & Co. Beliau dilantik sebagai ahli lembaga pengarah Petronas (2010-2018) dan Air Asia (2010-2014) dalam usia yang muda. Beliau pernah menjadi anggota Majlis Ekonomi Negara (2003-2005) di bawah Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-5, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Pegawai Khas (2004-2006) kepada Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-6, Dato Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak semasa Najib memegang jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan Penasihat Ekonomi (2008-2010) sebaik sahaja Najib dilantik Menteri Kewangan pada tahun 2008.
