AS we take stock of Malaysia’s political stalemate since the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, much soul searching is needed.
Indeed when Mahathir decided to call it a day way back in 2003, we could have had an able, seasoned politician in the likes of Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz as our prime minister. It did not happen.
Is anti-feminism so deeply rooted in our paternalistic societal fabric so much so that we even failed to see the gift of leadership in a woman?
As we today take stock of Rafidah’s consistent viewpoints and her no-holds-barred style of calling a spade a spade, on hindsight we can acknowledge that we lost that opportunity to bask under the tested and proven leadership of a woman. Not just a leader, but true leadership.
Despite her track record performance and the not-to-be-dismissed international label of “Iron Lady of Malaysia”, the political male-dominated Umno could not think of a female leading the nation.
And so we ended up saddled with a mounting political stalemate, a price we are still paying after four prime ministerial changes since 2003.
But with hope not lost in this darkening political confusion, Rafidah can still be counted upon as the savior for she is just in her seventies.
A lady who was teacher to many of our politicians through her university days, Rafidah is politically seasoned, here and in the international circuit.
Her hallmark courage echoes social, economic and political wisdom.
Her integrity is not tainted despite the political traps of plotters.
Above all she is a woman and therefore has the innate ability to put the healing emotions back in place into the soul of this nation.
J. D. Lovrenciear
Kuala Lumpur
