Since Tun Daim Zainuddin has accurately predicted the fall of five state governments into the hands of the opposition in 2008 election, the media is fond of seeking his views in subsequent elections. Daim has never disappointed the media.

He agreed to meet Sin Chew Daily prior to the 2022 election. Four days before nomination, editor-in-chief Kuik Cheng Kang, executive editor-in-chief Chan Aun Kuang and I turned up at the Ilham Tower for an interview with Daim.

It turned out that he was keen to meet us but not a media interview.
After Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad lost power in 2020, Daim disappeared from the public limelight for quite some time.

We thought he was keeping a low profile because of the political climate, but we were shocked to witness the condition of the elderly man.

Daim appeared in plain clothes and slippers

Daim was still dressed in simple, casual clothes and flip-flops. This time, however, he relied on a walking stick for support, taking slow steps to enter the reception room.

He was so frail that he could be easily knocked down. Up close, his eyes behind dark glasses seemed lifeless; he pointed to his left eye and said frankly, “I can’t see with this one anymore.”

Daim, who had served twice as the Minister of Finance and took charge of the nation’s finances, was appointed chairman of the Council of Eminent Persons after the change in government, joining forces with Malaysia’s wealthiest individual Tan Sri Robert Kuok, then Governor of Bank Negara Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas CEO Tan Sri Hassan Marican and economist Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram to shoulder the responsibility of reviving the economy.

In his 60-storey office near the Petronas Twin Towers, one could view the skyscrapers along Jalan Ampang from the window. The Twin Towers are right in front of the windows.

His secretary mentioned that Daim often complained the newer buildings obstructed what had once been a better view.

Daim was noticeably frail and aged. His left eye was just an empty void, and even lifting his left arm seemed difficult.

In past interviews, his barely audible voice had been a challenge; this time, he needed to wear a microphone around his neck and used a speaker to communicate effectively.

Touching on the upcoming election, he modestly said he couldn’t offer opinions anymore.

Talking about his health, he humorously remarked that he had narrowly escaped death twice – each time, coincidentally, during a change of prime ministers.

He was hospitalised the day former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was removed from office.

He visited an organic farm earlier, where he came into contact with pesticides and developed a fungal infection that rapidly worsened.

Fortunately, he was able to leave the hospital not long after.
The second incident of cheating death took place when Tan Sri Muhyiddin was ousted.

He had relapse and a bacterial infection spread to his brain. Although he was on antibiotics, he ultimately lost vision in his left eye.

“Because of this, I can no longer go around eating char kway teow, chatting with people to gauge public opinion. I don’t have any insights to offer; I’m just a gossip who enjoys chatting,” he said.

A diligent reader despite poor eyesight

Despite his poor eyesight, Daim’s dedication to reading would put many to shame. He spent two hours each day reading newspapers and online news, and another seven hours reading books and magazines.

Even at the age of 85, his mind was sharp, and he kept up with both domestic and international current events, discussing them with ease.

As everyone knows, the results of Malaysia’s 15th General Election were dramatic. At that time, Daim predicted that Pahang would remain a Barisan Nasional (Umno) stronghold.

Later, as widely known, Umno suffered a significant setback in the election, retaining only Pahang.

Daim also predicted that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition had a chance to capture Perak; and after the incident in Perlis where the incumbent UMNO Member of Parliament for Arau, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, was not nominated as a candidate in the general election, he noted that the chances of PAS winning the small state had increased.

He also said that Sarawak would play the role of “a kingmaker” and likely to make more demands in the future.

On East Malaysia, Daim believed that Sarawak needed to watch Indonesia, while Sabah’s concern was the Philippines.

Anwar a populist according to Daim

When discussing one of the possible candidates for prime minister at the time, Daim said he believed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made too many promises and he was a populist.

Daim criticised Anwar for being inconsistent – he blocked Maria Chin from contesting in the election but allowed his wife, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, to run.

Daim also recounted a key figure involved in the 1MDB scandal who had visited him and insisted on his innocence prior to losing his influence. Daim claimed that upon hearing this, he felt like he wanted to “vomit.”

We paused, unsure if we’d heard him correctly, so Chan asked again.
Daim clarified in Malay, saying “muntah,” and even mimed a vomiting gesture to emphasise his disgust.

Having held the role of Finance Minister himself, Daim was asked about his views on his successors. He bluntly remarked that one of his successors was stubborn and unpopular.

He advised leaders in finance, saying: “Politicians should make people feel happy without abandoning their principles, and they must understand how both government and business operate.”

Commenting on Malaysia’s rapid change of three prime ministers within a short period, he observed that it was because politicians were only thinking of themselves, not the country.

After the election, as the so-called “Green Wave” gathered momentum, Daim had cautioned: “We must learn from Sri Lanka’s religious conflicts and never go down that path.”

Malays are urged to understand the value of money

One of the most challenging issues for successive governments has been rationalising the subsidy policy. The former finance minister remarked that education should teach people think instead of retaining the mindset of subsidy.

He emphasised the importance of education, noting that when Malays fail, they often blame others.

“They should understand the value of money, not just learning that 2 + 2 = 4, but also how to turn RM 2 ringgit into RM4!”

Unfortunately, there were too many questions to ask at the time, and we missed the chance to ask this wealthy businessman exactly how he would turn RM2 into RM4.

As the meeting came to an end and just before he entered the elevator, Daim unexpectedly said, “Next time, I’ll give you a full interview!”

Because of his poor health and he wore a mask, we refrained from gathering around him to take a group photo. Instead, we took turn to take a photo with him to minimise the risk of cross-infection.

We did not request for more rounds of photographs with him despite the backlit effect of the photo.

We thought of following up with him for his promise of an interview. However, he was later entangled in court cases, forcing him to face the media outside the court.

The public was shocked to see him in wheelchair with only one eye.
The public reaction was exactly the same for us when we met him two years ago.

Now that he has passed away, it will be hard to find one who understands the political landscape like him.