Sunday May 24, 2009

No stranger to foreign affairs

By PAUL GABRIEL

Datuk Anifah Aman caused ripples in political circles when he declined the post of deputy minister last year. So, how does he feel in his new portfolio as Foreign Minister?

THERE was hardly any time for Datuk Anifah Aman to digest his appointment as Foreign Minister. It was action from the word “go”.

Barely six hours after being sworn in as minister, Anifah, the first Sabahan to land the job, was on his first overseas assignment – to Thailand for the 14th Asean leaders summit.

“I had about six hours to pack off to Pattaya. When I got there, I never felt inferior. I had enough material to be prepared,” says the 55-year-old Kimanis MP of his “baptism of fire” at the summit held at the Thai tourism haven.

However, the meet was called off following violent Thai anti-government protests.

Staying true: While he has had his fair share of spills with the BN, Anifah who is now navigating the country’s foreign policy vows his loyalty to the ruling coalition. – AFP

“But I made the most of it, by just introducing myself to my counterparts. At least the next time I won’t be a new face to them,” he says.

The once tough-talking politician, even described as rebellious (he was one of two Sabah MPs who rejected the post of deputy minister after the March 8 general election, saying he was senior enough to be made minister; Anifah was also the lone backbencher dissenting the DNA Identification Bill in Parliament last August) by some, is settling down in his role as the nation’s chief diplomat.

But he says his change in status does not make him a different person.

“I am still the same Anifah. I was Deputy Minister and then backbencher and now a Minister. I adapt to my roles and I have proven that,” he explains.

Anifah, who has travelled on-the-job to Jakarta, Havana, Washington, London and Singapore since the Pattaya debacle, will chalk up more airline points with Damascus, Dubai, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Jeju Island (South Korea) and Beijing all to be crammed in over the next fortnight.

He sums up the “trauma” of his jet-setting, life-in-a-suitcase routine:

“There are three suitcases packed at any one time at home. I have just time to drop off one and pick up another.”

While the cameras are trained on him on the national and world stage, Anifah says he never forgets the plight of the people in his rural constituency where the harsh realities of daily life are inescapable.

He says he often rides on a motorcycle along the dirt tracks to reach out to the people who live in poverty.

“Once during Ramadan, I visited a family and saw the mother and children just sitting idle. They didn’t seem to be preparing to break the fast.

“When I asked if she was fasting, she said yes – for 26 years. I just broke down on hearing that,” relates the Keningau-born Anifah, the younger brother of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman. Anifah was elected Beaufort MP in 1999 and contested the Kimanis seat (created out of Papar and Beaufort) in 2004.

(Anifah contested and lost the Klias state seat as an Umno candidate in the 1994 Sabah State Election.)

He recalls another gripping encounter with the hardcore poor in his constituency located in Sabah’s west coast division about 45km south of Kota Kinabalu.

Anifah was making his rounds on a motorcyle when he stumbled upon a shed. Entering it, he saw a family looking distraught.

“I pledged to move them to a new home but the husband pleaded that enough was enough, saying they had heard so many unfulfilled promises,” he shares.

Anifah kept his word and built the new home at a cost of RM11,000.

“The family moved in but I could not visit them.

“Later, I found out that the husband had passed away. Apparently, when he breathed his last, he said he could die peacefully,” says the Kimanis Umno division head who has built up a rock solid reputation as an MP.

While he has had his fair share of spills with the BN, the father of three who is now navigating the country’s foreign policy vows his loyalty to the ruling coalition.

“There is no question about that. I truly believe that only the BN can develop my constituency and bring progress to the country,” he stresses.

But Anifah, who holds a degree in Economics, Politics and Law from Buckingham University, Britain, is wary of the snake pit of politics even as he stands on diplomatic high ground.

While many commend him for displaying on-the-job expertise early on, there are also those who direct flak at him for what they say is petty politicking on his part.

At a joint press conference after his meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the State Department a week ago, Anifah, while responding to a question, created ripples when he revealed that Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had lured him to cross over last year with a lucrative job offer “like deputy prime minister”.

Anwar denied the claim and has threatened to sue, but Anifah is sticking to his guns.

In a wide-ranging conversation in Bangsar earlier last week, Anifah seemed relaxed in a collarless-T shirt, cigar in hand as he spoke, diplomatically, about why he is cut out for the job and his patriotic goals.

Asked how his Key Performance Indicator (KPI) will be measured, the Foreign Minister, who enjoys a laugh when not in his business suit, dives in: “I told my officers it would be based on the number of affairs I have with foreigners!”

Q. How are you coping with the jet-setting pace?

A. The pace is manageable. What I am more concerned with is the pace in Wisma Putra, where I want to take things to a higher level. I need to get the best people to serve Wisma Putra, especially in strategic countries. It doesn’t really matter if it is a career diplomat, or a politician. If I need to headhunt and find somebody outside, I will. I want to go strictly on merit.

Are you talking about appointing politicians to certain ambassadorial posts?

As far as I am concerned, it is whether a political appointee will be suitable for the job. I will not discriminate. It doesn’t mean that a politician cannot be an ambassador or high commissioner. If I think that person satisfies the criteria, I will not hesitate to pick him. Certain postings demand that the person understands the political nature of that country. One journalist even asked if I would put a Chinese in China. I answered if I were to do that and put Indians in India and Malays in Indonesia, where do I put the Ibans and Kadazans? My point is, if someone is suitable, irrespective of whether that person is Malay, Chinese or Indian, he or she will be picked.

Why has the ambassadorial posting to the US been vacant for so long?

It has not been filled for about a year. I was shocked by this as the US is our biggest trading partner. I am looking at four names that fit the criteria. Whether that person will accept or not is another matter; and after that, there are processes to go through, and also whether the US will give its consent.

The person must be influential and have the ability to communicate and understand. It is not just about work per se but knowing the economic, political and financial system of that country. (It must be) somebody who can see where that country is heading and how Malaysia can benefit.

Are former minister Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis and Tan Sri Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid, the former Ambassador to the US, in your shortlist?

Yes, they are. Ghazzali has served for seven years there. Of course, when one has served that long, there are advantages and disadvantages. I am weighing both the pros and cons. Do we need a new person with a new approach? That is what I am pondering about. I am seeking advice from previous ambassadors posted there, people who have been through a lot (in the US). I will present the names to the Prime Minister within a week. I will also make my recommendation and state why I prefer that particular person.

As Malaysia’s face to the world, what can be expected from you?

I am going to be guided by feedback and reports from our senior ambassadors in strategic countries on how our policies are going to be shaped. So, if there is a lack of quality, the end result will also be not up to the desired level. That is why my priority is to get the right people in, so that I can get the best information possible. Our heads of mission will be back (for a conference) at the end of June and I will be talking with our prominent representatives to be able to assess better. I have already begun the process by meeting with some of our retired top ambassadors. Whenever I have the chance, I meet them.

Do you think you’re cut out for this job?

Well, I was Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (before the March 8 general election) and I travelled extensively to Latin America, Eastern Europe, America, Europe, Africa and Asean to address the issue of illegal logging and the campaign against Malaysian palm oil. I have met presidents, prime ministers and ministers in the course of my work on how to counter the wild allegations being made against Malaysia by various organisations and NGOs. I have also represented Malaysia on the issue of climate change and global warming. We had to counter those who accused us of cutting down all our forests; they said this contributed to the emission of greenhouse gases.

At the end of the day, it is about our ability to explain and justify our actions. We cannot assume that people are against us, that they have an agenda against us. We must go with an open mind and listen to what they are saying about us. If there is any truth in what they are saying, then we have to change and adjust to be better. There are times when I have said “Yes, you are right” and also “No, you are wrong.”

You dropped a bombshell when you rejected the post of deputy minister after the general election last year. Can you explain why?

It all depends on whether you want to serve; if you are happy to serve under someone. First thing for me is whether I have the capability to serve, and second, if I have the desire. At that time I did not have the desire. I must be honest with myself about whether I can do the job or not. And I want to make sure that I am fully committed, not accept the job and just look (at the perks). At the end of the day, we must find the best solution to every problem. As the Foreign Minister now, I realise that every word I say will be scrutinised (by the world). If I make a boo-boo, then (other countries will say) that’s what Malaysia is all about.

You are the first Sabahan to be appointed Foreign Minister. Do you feel any added pressure?

As Foreign Minister, I am must perform for my country, not the party. Of course, Sabahans are very proud. But I must earn their pride, and that can only be through how I perform in my job. In Sabah, it is a bit different from the peninsula. When we sit down, we don’t say you are Malay, Indian or Chinese. That is not our way. For me, it is not that I must perform because I am Malay but rather because I am the Foreign Minister of Malaysia. It is not a factor (that I am from Sabah).

You managed to pull off a meeting with Secretary Clinton in Washington so early on. That’s an accomplishment.

Thank you. The meeting went very well. I urged the US to help resolve the Middle-East crisis and to be guided by the Arab peace initiatives for a two-state solution. I told her the world, especially the Muslim world, would think very highly of America if the problem is resolved. I also expressed Malaysia’s appreciation of the Obama administration being committed to resolving the Middle-East crisis, and that we were looking at ways on how to contribute positively.

On the piracy problem in the Gulf of Eden, we have deployed five vessels there. And we have been invited to attend the third meeting of the Quartet Group on Piracy. Secretary Clinton was very pleased with our role and contributions.

During the press conference at the State Department, you made an expose about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim offering you the post of Deputy Prime Minister if you crossed over to Pakatan Rakyat.

I was asked a question about him and I replied. I said I rejected the offer. Some are asking why I did not lodge a police report. Well, there was no money involved, just an offer of a post. Anwar had claimed that about 30 MPs from Sabah and Sarawak would cross over (to Pakatan Rakyat) for them to form the Federal Government. Surely there must have been some bait involved.

Did you read the disparaging article written by Ian Buruma of The New Yorker (who interviewed Anwar in Kuala Lumpur for the May 14 issue of the magazine)? If you read that, as a Malaysian regardless of what party you belong to, you will feel it. It was about six pages long. Any Malaysian, regardless of political affiliation, will be very, very hurt. If not, then that person is not Malaysian. I never look at things as what is good for Umno or the BN, but what is good for Malaysia.

What is the toughest question you have been asked so far on the job?

When it involves the country, every question is tough. You have to think. When I am given information, I have to decide whether it is what I wanted. I don’t just swallow what is handed to me… I have to think, digest and rationalise and, if necessary, even dissect and raise my own questions. When I took over this ministry, I told my officers that I may ask silly questions but demand intelligent answers. For example, all the abbreviations (used in Wisma Putra) is Greek to me but to them, they think this guy doesn’t understand. For example, what is Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of The Sea)? They assume that I know... because they have been there (Wisma Putra) for years.

Any role-model you look up to, perhaps a diplomat extraordinaire that you admire?

No one in particular but I have picked up good pointers here and there. For America, for example, it is how it looks at the world. It had famous diplomats like Henry Kissinger. But Malaysia looks at the world differently. I learn and read about various approaches to resolve problems.

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