Tunku Aziz: Hero or demon?

The former DAP man speaks about upholding the rule of law, fighting corruption and his infamous stand on Bersih 3.0.

PETALING JAYA: Tunku Abdul Aziz, 78, is not your average politician.

For starters, the former Transparency International vice-chairman has spent most of his life battling corruption and promoting good governance in Asia.

He was special adviser to Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Anan, from February 2006 to January 2007, during which he set up the UN Ethics Office.

Despite numerous invites from Umno to be a member, Tunku Aziz had over the years declined its offer, holding on to his belief in multiracialism and inclusiveness.

“That is why I joined DAP in August 2008, because I believe in multiracialism and they aspired to be just that,” he said.

“I joined because they offered me a platform to continue my work, to fight corruption and provide integrity in both the government and corporate sectors,” he added.

“But within two months, I realised I had got myself in the wrong box,” said Tunku Aziz.

He explained that the party had not provided him an avenue to fight corruption and believed DAP was not as multiracial as he thought it to be.

Tunku Aziz said he wanted to resign from the DAP immediately, but was persuaded to stay on by party leaders.

“I stayed because of my respect for (DAP parliamentary leader Lim) Kit Siang. There is something about honouring a friendship,” he said.

“But my break came when Bersih 3.0 wanted a street demo. I have seen what happens during these events. It always starts peacefully, but ends in the spilling of blood,” he added.

‘Pakatan MPs lawbreakers’

Tunku Aziz said he has always supported Bersih as an electoral watchdog group, but his support was conditional and he strongly believed the organisation had to act within the law.

“When they broke they law by attempting to occupy Dataran Merdeka, even though it was prohibited, I drew the line,” he said.

“It may be bad (to deny access into Dataran Merdeka), but it is the law of the land and must be obeyed. If you don’t like it, there are legal avenues to change laws.”

Tunku Aziz then labeled PR MPs as “lawbreakers”.

“All PR leaders and MPs, the lawmakers who have passed the laws of this country, are now telling people to break the law. The lawmakers have become lawbreakers,” he said.

“I was not going to tow the party line simple to be in favour of the people who have no respect for the laws they help legislate,” he added.

Asked to respond to claims from PR leaders and their supporters that he was now a Umno-BN man, Tunku Aziz brushed them off as the opposition’s standard procedure.

“The moment you say something that is against party line, you are demonised. But if you praise them, well, you suddenly become a hero,” he said.

“When I say good things about DAP, I become a superhero and an icon. When I criticise them, I’m a demon.

“They always talk about freedom of speech. Where is the inclusiveness that they talk about? The party says one thing and does another. Can we really trust them to rule the country?” he asked.