Nazir Razak: Rafidah Aziz is the Govt's conscience

The photo Nazir shared on Instagram

PETALING JAYA: To Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, former Cabinet minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz is the Government’s conscience and voice for moderation, transparency and good governance.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, the CIMB group chairman shared a black and white photograph of his late father former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein shaking hands with Rafidah.

He wrote: “Did he know that she would go on to lead Wanita (Umno), become the region’s longest serving and best trade minister and then after retirement, emerge as the government’s conscience and strong voice for moderation, transparency and good governance?”

Rafidah is Malaysia’s longest serving International Trade and Industry Minister, having held the post from 1987 to 2008. She also served in the Umno supreme council for 38 years.

Rafidah has of late been vocal about the direction the nation was heading, voicing her opinions on Facebook and at press conferences.

Earlier this month, in a tribute to mark the 40-year anniversary of Razak's passing, Rafidah said that second prime minister was not into political games but was focused on developing Malaysia and resolving socio-economic inequities.

“Politics to him was for the development of the people and nation. There was no adulation and hype about his premiership,” she said.

Rafidah said she had never felt constrained from giving her views and opinions at the Umno supreme council meetings even though she was the youngest member.

She said she learnt a lot from Razak and his colleagues in Umno and government, especially of the politics of development and national unity.

She also called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to follow in his father’s footsteps by acknowledging the entire Malaysian population as his own while putting the interest of the people first.