Norsarfinaz: I just want the govt to be frank with us

Norsarfinaz Mohd Azman, who had asked the government not to sugar-coat the truth about the economy, says she feels satisfied having said her piece about the rising cost of living.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Politicians should have the heart of an activist and fight for the voiceless ones without expecting anything in return, said a Puteri Umno delegate.

Jerantut Puteri division chief Norsarfinaz Mohd Azman, speaking to FMT, said this was the principle she held on to and what had motivated her to stand up against her party leaders.

She said having gone down to meet those from the less privileged sections of the community, she was exposed to the plight faced by those who often complained of economic hardship.

“That was why in my speech I told the government to just be frank with us on the status of our economy.

“What do you think the public feels when they hear (from the government) that our economy is doing well, but see so many people losing their jobs and the continuous waves of VSS (voluntary separation schemes) being offered by companies?

“That was also why it is important for politicians to meet the grassroots and see for themselves the problems affecting the public.”

Norsarfinaz, 35, who prefers to be called Kak Pipi, came into the limelight after she broke the perceived tameness of the Puteri Umno during this year’s Umno general assembly.

Her speech was initially guided by the text she had prepared earlier.

However, she began to speak off the cuff when the party’s acting deputy president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the deputy prime minister, entered the hall, pleading to the leader to stop sugar-coating the real status of Malaysia’s economy.

When asked if she feared a possible backlash from party members, Norsarfinaz said: “No, no, no.”

She explained that it was her responsibility to speak for the ordinary people. As she had no political ambitions, she had nothing to lose.

“When I saw Datuk Seri (Zahid), I thought: ‘When else would I get the chance to express the feelings of the youths today?’

“This was my way to express my love for the party. I feel satisfied as I have done what my position requires me to.”

She added that while the government isn’t entirely to blame for the declining economy, as other countries are also suffering, it could help by advising members of the public on ways they can weather tough times.

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