Poco poco rounds up dialogue

One of the few Barisan Nasional politicians who champions issues on democracy, this deputy minister also likes to get out of his office to get a feel of what’s on the ground.

TWO hours before a 2pm interview appointment with Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah at Putrajaya, I received a phone call.

“Philip, where are you now?” asked Md Fadzmel Md Fadzil. “In USJ, Subang Jaya,” I answered. “Can we change the appointment venue to somewhere in between (Subang Jaya and Putrajaya)?” his aide ventured.

“Yes,” I said, relieved that I did not have to drive the 31km to Malaysia’s administrative capital.

Two hours later, in Starbucks at Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya, I met Saifuddin.

“I don’t like to do things in the office. I’m more of an ‘outside’ person. I like to find an excuse to get out. I believe in meeting people midway – literally,” explained the 51year-old Umno politician.

This is how Saifuddin arranges an appointment.

He will agree to a time, date and place (i.e his office in Putrajaya) and then a few hours before the meeting, he or an aide will call and suggest another venue.

“I have been there before, soliciting appointments (with Very Important People).

“I know how difficult it is,” said Saifuddin, a Universiti Malaya (UM) student leader in the early 1980s and former Malaysian Youth Council president (1998-2002).

The first-term Termeloh MP is an impromptu politician.

For example, during last December’s Edmund Bon (of Loyarburok.com) versus Tan Keng Liang (Kedah Gerakan Youth Chief) debate, Saifuddin made a cameo appearance to the delight of the 300odd mostly Twitterers who attended the event in Bangsar.

The deputy minister explained that #Edmundbondebatestankenglia ng was trending on his Twitter timeline and he decided to listen in on the “discussion and ideas that would be floating” on the Peaceful Assembly Bill (PA2011).

There were lessons Saifuddin learnt from #Edmundbondebatestan Kengliang.

“There were specific sections of PA2011 which really needed to be

I am a politician. I can’t deny that. To me it is not about politics. It is because I want to engage with the young and civil society.

— DATUK SAIFUDDIN ABDULLAH

amended,” he said.

“If the Government had conducted better consultation with the stakeholders, the Peaceful Assembly Bill could have been a better law.”

Saifuddin loves impromptu meetings with students.

“Normally, I give the students a short notice (to organise a meet up) so that university officers don’t know about the meeting,” he said.

“When the officers get involved, the meeting becomes too official.”

The impromptu politician smiled when he recalled one of the meetings with students.

It was in 2009 and he had time to kill in Alor Star.

So at 8pm he called a Universiti Malaysia Perlis student leader to organise a meet-up with students at a warung (famous for fried kuey teow) near the campus.

An hour later, the deputy minister was with a dozen or so students to discuss various issues affecting them.

Two hours later, the discussion ended and as Saifuddin walked to his car, he jokingly told the students:

“It was a good meet but (it would be better) had there been some kind of entertainment.”

One of the students said: “Do you want us to dance for you?” Saifuddin: “What?” Student: “We can do poco poco.” Saifuddin: “But where is the music?”

“The student took out her phone and they started street dancing,” he related.

“I told my wife (then with him) it was just like a Hindustan film.”

Saifuddin said there were people who were sceptical about his impromptu appearances.

“They think I go (uninvited or impromptu) for these functions because it is about politics.

“They think ‘this is another Najib (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) follower who wants to engage with us because he is a politician’,” he said. “I am a politician. “I can’t deny that. To me it is not about politics. It is because I want to engage with the young and civil society.

“I want to be a good postman and pass it upstairs (to Najib).”

The Umno politician is also one of the few Barisan Nasional leaders who is liked by youths with Opposition leanings.

“Many think I’m speaking their language.

“I like to champion issues on democracy.

“Not many politicians in Barisan champion issues on democracy,” he said.

For example, his (conditional) support for Bersih 2.0. “I got flak for that,” he said. “There were people who said Saifuddin is pro-opposition.

Saifuddin is pro-anwar (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim).

Saifuddin is a musuh dalam selimut (an enemy within).

“I believe one should speak up. That is the new political culture.”

Wonder whether Saifuddin will make an impromptu appearance at @Tankengliang’s tweetup in Bangsar on Saturday?