Razak was a reluctant Finance Minister

He gave up the portfolio as soon as he could, says a former senior official of Bank Negara.

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Abdul Razak was never comfortable being Prime Minister and Finance Minister at the same time as he believed it violated the principles of checks and balances, according to Lin See Yan, who served as the Deputy Governor of Bank Negara from 1980 to 1994.

“He reluctantly took the portfolio when the then finance minister, Tan Siew Sin, resigned,” Lin said today at the Special Commemorative Seminar on the country’s second prime minister.

Abdul Razak relinquished the portfolio to Tun Hussien Onn as soon as he could, he added.

“Nowadays, people take it for granted that the Prime Minister is also the Minister of Finance. This is wrong,” he said.

Lin also praised Abdul Razak for his humility and his belief in government transparency and accountability

“He had zero tolerance for corruption,” he said.

He added that Abdul Razak saw himself as a leader and not a politician because he though of politicians as people who made too many compromises.

Lin also said Abdul Razak never surrounded himself with yes men, adding that his core group of ministers would never be afraid to tell him if he went wrong.

He said Abdul Razak would listen to his ministers’ views and balance these with what he knew was happening on the ground in formulating his policies.

Today is the 40th anniversary of Abdul Razak’s death.