'Demons and imaginery enemies': Veteran newsman tells why 'good friend' Daim became Anwar's target

A veteran journalist has described the revelations by the widow of Daim Zainuddin in an episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast as an "opening of Pandora's box" in terms of the former finance minister's relationship with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

A Kadir Jasin said the remarks by Na'imah Abdul Khalid confirmed that her late husband had had a good relationship with Anwar, even though he was seen as the prime minister's target towards the end of his life, culminating in an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"Two very close friends. When referring to each other, it's 'hang' and 'aku'," said Kadir, using the northern dialect for the first and second pronoun. 

"'Daim hang kena tulunggg aku!' (Daim, you have to help me!) That's what Anwar always said," he added, quoting Na'imah.

Kadir, the former editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times group, said Anwar was aware of Daim's position in politics and as the main mover in Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration.

"I think the thesis of Daim's former press secretary, the late Abdul Rashid Yusof, is true – that Anwar was never hostile to Daim and Daim was always sympathetic towards Anwar," he said.

Kadir recalled that Daim had renewed his long-expired lawyer's licence just so he could meet Anwar in prison.

Daim had admitted to meeting Anwar six times in prison before the 14th general election in 2018 which saw the collapse of the Najib Razak administration.

"Only family members or lawyers were allowed in," Daim was reported as saying that year.

"So in order to get around this problem, I became a lawyer again. That was how I managed to enter the Sungai Buloh prison and meet with Anwar.

"I met and spoke with him six times. After that, I was not allowed in anymore. When they stopped me from going in, I wrote a letter to the prime minister (Najib). I asked why I was not allowed in as I was a lawyer.

"They had certain reports, which was why I was barred from entering."

But despite their close ties, Kadir said the question still arose of why Anwar had targeted Daim as a main foe.

He said this was in line with Anwar's modus operandi since his student days, of using enemies and a narrative of confrontation in order to mobilise his supporters.

"Firstly, Anwar's politics, since the days of campus protests, has required enemies, demons, devils, Pharaohs, and various other imaginary enemies.

"Without enemies and confrontation, there is no Anwar. For every generation he recruits into his political arena, he is thrown into the hands of evil enemies, just as the ancient Roman rulers threw Christians to be devoured by hungry lions.

"Who better to be dragged, paraded and thrown into his court than Mahathir and Daim?" asked Kadir.

Daim was one of Malaysia's best-known finance ministers and had been responsible for ensuring the country's economic recovery during the Asian financial crisis more than two decades ago.

He died at the age of 86 on Nov 13 last year.

He was the only Malay business leader involved in a range of industries at a time when locals had yet to venture in, before being invited by Mahathir to join the government in the mid-eighties.

Towards the end of his life, he became the target of attacks by Anwar who accused him of amassing wealth illegally.

This was followed by a string of announcements against him by Azam Baki, the controversial MACC chief commissioner whose contract was extended three times by Anwar's administration.

On his own dealings with Daim, Kadir said the former minister had placed a premium on time.

"You had to be punctual. If you were late, you were left behind.

"During flight, once he had finished his conversations, he would read the papers. The main newspapers were always available.

"When it was time for prayer, he would pray. If it was a long flight, he would recite the Quran."

He said Daim had also given endowments to mosques and religious schools both within the country and abroad, funded education and sponsored students through his two foundations, Yayasan Pok Rafeah and Yayasan Haji Zainuddin.

Daim's widow, Na'imah, had answered a range of questions about her husband on the Keluar Sekejap podcast last week, including the claims that his wealth was accumulated illegally – accusations often hurled by Anwar at his political enemies.

She also spoke of Daim's life journey from a village in Kedah to London where he qualified as a lawyer at a young age, and how he had ventured into business fields which, at the time, were monopolised by foreigners.