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THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Ex-Pahang MB Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar dies

Former Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar died at his home in Jalan U-Thant here at 7.10pm yesterday, believed to be due to a heart attack. He was 66.

His second child, Rosnita, 35, said her father was waiting for the azan call to break the fast when her mother Datin Rosnah Kamaruddin found him unconscious.

She said they contacted paramedics from Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre, who pronounced him dead.

“Father did not show any signs prior to his death. As far as we know, he was not suffering from any illness… his death could be due to a heart attack,” she said.

Rosnita said since all her brothers and sisters had returned home to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, they were at their father’s side when he died.

He will be buried at the Taman Kosas Muslim Cemetery after Friday prayers today at the Kampung Pandan mosque, she said.

Meanwhile, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar said Abdul Rahim’s demise was a big loss to politics in the country, especially Umno.

“I had known him when he was actively involved in Umno. I have always admired his high values and struggles towards Umno because despite coming from a poor family, he achieved tremendous success,” he said.

Abdul Rahim leaves a wife and four children — Roslina, 37, Rosnita, Mohd Rizal, 32, and Rosazreen, 25 and four grandchildren.

Abdul Rahim was born on Feb 7, 1943 in Beserah, Kuantan and started his political career as the state assemblyman for Beserah after winning the seat in the 1978 general election.

An economics graduate from Universiti Malaya, he was Pahang Menteri Besar from July 19, 1978 to Nov 7, 1981. — Reuters

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That is what the mainstream media wrote. It is very short and, of course, just sticks to the ‘core issues’. But what the mainstream media failed to mention is that Rahim Bakar was somewhat of a loose canon who held the post of Menteri Besar of Pahang for slightly over three years.

Rahim Bakar was a most outspoken individual and the Pahang rakyat loved him. He would blast away, even in public, and there were no ‘sacred cows’ as far as he was concerned. In fact, whenever there were palace spies around, Rahim Bakar would purposely raise his voice so that they could hear what he says. Then he would sit back with an amused look on his face to see the spies scurry away to report to the Pahang Sultan what Rahim Bakar just said.

The best way and no other way to describe the relationship between the Menteri Besar and the Palace was that they were in a state of war. Rahim Bakar whacked the Sultan to kingdom come and he did not care a damn what the repercussions would be.

At that time, the Prime Minister was Tun Hussein Onn, a jewel and no-nonsense of a man. He was brought up in the British tradition and acquired his discipline in the British army. Hussein Onn would not tolerate any shit and in spite of his Johor Palace links he would keep the Royal Family on a tight leash and would offer them no slack.

It was always an unwritten rule that the nine Malaysian rulers would be allowed certain ‘excesses’. For states like Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, and so on, these excesses would include large tracts of timber concessions. States like Negeri Sembilan, which did not have too much timber land left, the ‘concessions’ would be in the form of pig farm licences. Why do you think they call that state Negeri Sembilan Darul Khinzir?

The Sultans would be given a certain timber ‘quota’ every year, which they are expected to use wisely. Most Sultans would have Chinese partners to work the timber concessions and for Pahang it was the infamous ‘Tengku’ Wong — who was exposed and stripped naked by no less than the Gerakan President at that time, Lim Keng Yeak.

This was back in the 1980s. Lim went before TV, and with spit splashing on the TV cameras, he lamented about ‘Tengku’ Wong, who, Lim said, is the Pahang Sultan’s business partner. Lim said that ‘Tengku’ Wong and the Sultan have ripped off the state out of hundreds of millions worth of timber. What Lim did not know was that ‘Tengku’ Wong was not just the Sultan’s partner. He was also ex-Pahang Menteri Besar Khalil Yaacob’s partner. So there were actually three parties involved.

Datuk Fauzi Rahman, the one-time Member of Parliament for Kuantan, actually made a police report on this matter some years back but until today nothing has been done about it. Instead, Fauzi was kicked out, as is the fate of all whistleblowers in Malaysia who lodge police reports or sign Statutory Declarations not favourable to those who walk in the corridors of power.

The ‘Pahang Constitutional Crisis’, if I may be permitted to call it that, started when the Pahang Sultan used up his timber concession quota super-fast. Actually, the Sultan lost it all in the casinos where he spends most of his time.

In one casino in the UK, the Sultan lost so much money, millions of Ringgit, that he could not afford to pay off his debt. Sultan or no Sultan, the casino would not allow him to leave until he paid up.

The Sultan summoned the Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and the hapless diplomat had no choice but to get out of bed and make his way to the casino. The Sultan then made the High Commissioner guarantee the debt on behalf of the Malaysian government. Only then did the casino allow the Sultan to leave.

When the Sultan returned to Malaysia he asked for more timber concessions. But His Highness had already used up his quota for the year. So Rahim Bakar brought the matter to the attention of the Prime Minister.

Hussein Onn was still boiling mad that the Malaysian government was forced to guarantee the Sultan’s gambling debts and he put his foot down and said no more timber concession for the Sultan.

Rahim Bakar, being the loose cannon who takes no shit from anyone kind of man, told the Sultan in a not so diplomatic way to bugger off. (I just love this Rahim Bakar and when I grow up I want to be just like him).

The Sultan was pissed and he wanted Rahim Bakar sacked and declared persona non grata. (Now you know why I just love the man — we persona non gratas have to stick together).

Rahim Bakar was eventually forced to resign halfway through his term and they put an interim Menteri Besar, Rashid, to warm the seat while waiting for the next general election in a couple of month’s time.

The Sultan wanted Najib Tun Razak, an orang istana, who was then in the federal cabinet, to take over as Menteri Besar. In the 1982 general election Najib contested a state seat and went back to Pahang as the new Menteri Besar so that he can fulfil his main function of granting the Sultan all the timber concessions that His Highness wanted plus, as his secondary job, run the state administration.

Rahim Bakar was not the first Menteri Besar to fall because he refused to bow to the Sultan’s demand for timber concessions. Ghazali Jawi of Perak and Nik Hassan of Terengganu too were forced out when they refused to give their Sultans what they wanted.

Isa Samad, in a way, suffered the same fate, but he refused to grant the Negeri Sembilan ruler what His Highness wanted not based on principles but because Isa wanted it all for himself (hmm…let’s hope we meet him in this coming by-election in Bagan Pinang).

So there you have it. NST, Utusan, Bernama, Malay Mail, etc., would just report what Reuters reported above. Boring! Malaysia Today gives you the untold story. So let us honour the late Datuk Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar and one-time Pahang Menteri Besar for being the true patriot that he is. He opposed the Sultan and he paid the price. And this is what he must be remembered for, the Hang Jebat of Pahang, the Anak Pahang Tulin.