‘Big mouth’ Abdul Ghani ratted on Daim

Dr Mahathir may not have lied in his memoir but he may not have told the whole story on Daim Zainuddin's reaction to his 1996-1997 currency control policy.

Anyone who knows former finance minister and economic advisor Daim Zainuddin will know that behind that small frame lies a tenacious and iron-willed individual.

Even former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has himself said that Daim will contribute his ideas and criticisms freely without fear or favour.

So when I recently caught up with the Oracle of Syed Putra (Daim’s soulmate of sorts), the first question was unavoidably on what Daim’s response was to Mahathir’s description of Daim in his recent ‘Doctor In The House’ memoir.

In his interview with Utusan Malaysia recently, Daim had said that he was both humbled and totally embarrassed by Mahathir’s description.

Mahathir was both complimentary and acerbic about Daim.

The latter mainly contributed by Daim’s continued and stubborn refusal to answer all those allegations about lining his pockets; and by Mahathir’s remark about Daim’s disloyalty towards him.

Mahathir suggested that Daim was supportive of his currency controls in front of the former premier but was disloyal to him behind Mahathir’s back.

Where did Mahathir learn of Daim’s ‘disloyalty’? From the bitching (still prevailing Johor Menteri Besar) Abdul Ghani Othman.

Ghani may not know it yet – but the mention of his name as the person who ratted on Daim, will prove to be his own undoing.

Now, everyone in Umno will know Ghani is an untrustworthy person.

As I have said before, as a politician Mahathir has not told the whole story about what aspects of the currency control that Daim objected.

No objection

But I learnt from the Oracle that Daim never objected to currency controls but was against the specific policy tool thought of by Mahathir to bring about currency control and the economy.

Ghani who was present at the meeting of MBs called by Daim should have told Mahathir what it was that Daim said that should not be supported.

If Daim had called for a rebellion against Mahathir, all the other MBs would have told Mahathir the same thing.

But they didn’t, only Ghani the big mouth did.

How to account for Daim’s stubborn refusal to answer allegations of corruption and of lining his pockets?

According to the Oracle, Daim had said something about that.

As we all know, Daim will never answer Mahathir directly. Daim didn’t even bother to answer allegations of corruption against him, which were more severe.

So, not answering Mahathir’s description is a non-event for Daim, not something to lose sleep over.

Daim, said the Oracle, only lost sleep by spending time to read Mahathir’s memoirs. He stayed till 7 am to read it!

At the end of the read, his comment, according to the Oracle, was that Mahathir writes from two perspectives – as a statesman and a politician.

Any politician writes in pursuit of a self-serving agenda. Facts, events, and the role of people are often cooked up or played down.

All, in order to self-preserve. Or self-inflate as the case may be.

Preserve the ego, preserve the name and in doing that, Mahathir may not lie, but he may not tell the whole story.

The writer is a former Umno state rep and a columnist with FMT