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Where will the next generation of leaders take us? And what is their understanding of the Social Contract? ANIZA DAMIS and M. HAMZAH JAMALUDIN speak to Puteri information chief and Kuala Sentul assemblywoman Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin, who is a frontrunner for the top Puteri post after securing the highest number of nominations.

Q: Some people believe that Puteri is just pretty girls who dress in pink, and who help in canvassing during elections and get harassed by dirty old men. What exactly is Puteri for?

A: Well our main objective when we were formed seven years back, is to train Malay young women to be leaders, as a pemimpin pelapis (reserve leaders) to the Wanita wing, to attract more professionals, more young Malay women from different backgrounds, whether they be from the kampong or bandar. So we want them to meet and join forces to help UMNO.

If you go back to Umno history, during independence and pre-independence, women played a big role to achieve our independence. For example, during Tun Fatimah Hashim and Aisyah Ghani’s era, they fought for the women’s right.

For example, during those days, our salary (between the sexes) was not the same, And Wanita fought.

So that’s the main objective of puteri: to encourage more young women to join UMNO. Not only in a supporting role; we have a main role to play.

Q: What is the difference between the approach that Wanita uses and the one that Puteri uses?

A: We are more simple in our approach. Wanita has more protocol. For example, every time you go to a programme, you have to wear baju kurung. Whereas, in Puteri, the young generation, our generation, we love to wear pants, jeans, and these kinds of things.

And then, there’s the difference in activities. In Wanita, in the kampung, like my mum for example, they go for baca Yassin, marhaban. Whereas in Puteri, we play futsal. It’s a different world. That’s why Puteri was formed.

Q: When Puteri started, Puteri seemed to be mainly an NGO-run or NGO-foundation that deals with social work. Is that still the case now?

A: Yes, that’s the approach we’re using - an NGO-like approach, because we want it to be easier for people to be close to us.

When you go to see people as a politician, they have a different perception of you. But when you approach them as an NGO, they’re more friendly to you and they don’t have any gaps with you. That’s what our approach was earlier, and until today.

But that is only as an approach. The objective is still that, as a political wing, we have a political objective.

Q: What is the political objective?

A: To win the people’s hearts, to make the people support the party, and to ensure that Barisan Nasional will win at every general election or by-election.

That’s our objective as a political party. Our main agenda is to continue ruling. And how are you going to do it? This is our approach. We approach young professional ladies who are not interested in joining Wanita. With Puteri, we can get more people.

Q: Some Puteri members are frustrated that Puteri is not political enough; that it’s too social-work based. Do you think this is a problem?

A: There are two schools of thought on this. One says that Puteri has to stay as an NGO only; non-political, helping people during floods and so on.

The other school of thought is that we have to be political because we are a political wing under the ruling party in this country.

I think they don’t understand the real objective of Puteri and why we were formed.

To me, the objective is to hit the political objective. But, like I said before, the NGO-thing is only an approach. We must make all the members at every level understand that.

Q: If Puteri got more political, and you focused less on social work, wouldn’t this drive away the people who are attracted to the non-political side of Umno?

A: I agree that we must be seen like the Puteri of before. But the leaders in Puteri, on every level, must understand politics as well. I agree that we must continue with being seen as an NGO, helping people and all that. That’s the best strategy, all many have followed and copied it.

But we, the leadership, must understand politics, because sometimes people expect Puteri’s voice to fight for certain issues. For instance, now we’re facing recession, and people are asking what Puteri’s going to do about it.

Some people have the perception that Puteri cannot think serious things - they just go hoo-ha there, hoo-ha here, and people ask you to pegang bunga manggar and to go everywhere in pink. But we must show, we must gain the respect of the people, that Puteri is not just like that.

We have a very humble movement, the way to approach people. But at the same time we also have our own voice, our own principles, our own stand, so that people will respect us more.

Q: What are the main challenges that face Puteri now?

A: One is to continue whatever we have done; number two is to gain respect, not only in the party, but from the people outside. Because you see in the results of the last general election, they said that we didn’t get enough support from the young voters. So people look at Puteri and ask, “What have you been doing? Wasn’t Puteri was formed to attract the young generation?”

I think that’s a big challenge, and we must do something to attract the young Malayians out there, not only the young Malay women, but of course, the other races as well.

Q: Other races? Who is Puteri open to?

A: Puteri is only open to Umno. But, Datuk Noraini suggested to form Puteri BN. And we know that Umno leads BN; so of course if you want to form a Puteri BN, Puteri Umno must lead it.. So before that, you must gain respect from our friends in MCA, MIC - the Chinese and Indians. If they respect us, only will they allow us to lead them. Without that, I don’t think they’ll do that, just because we’re from Umno.

Q: Can’t it be a multi-racial, mixed leadership?

A: Like in BN, the top leader must come from UMNO.

Q: Why?

A: Because of the BN spirit itself and because of the Constitution itself. We must follow, like in Pemuda and Wanita BN, the chairman must be from UMNO.

Q: More people are debating the issue of the Social Contract. Do you think that Puteri Umno has to change to address this issue? And are the Puteri members themselves changing?

A: In this latest development in politics, I think you know the young generation’s views about this. Some of them feel the social contract is not relevant anymore. But maybe because they have a different perception, because they don’t understand what the real social contract is all about.

To me, that’s one of the challenges we’re facing as Puteri Umno. We must make our members understand.

What is the social contract? Is it that we just protect Malays’ rights and deny the other races’ rights? No. In fact the social contract will protect each others’ rights. This is what the young generation out there don’t understand. They think the social contract is only about giving privileges to the Malays, only protecting the Malays’ rights.

Q: What is the social contract to you?

A: Like I said just now, the social contract was formed by our founding fathers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Tun Sambanthan, to protect each other’s rights.

For them this is the best formula, for us to live in this country, with different races, religions - this is the best formula. That’s what they agreed before and everybody must respect the social contract.

They (the founding fathers) had reasons (for setting up the social contract). But now, maybe we just read it as: “Oh, social contract is only to protect the Malays and discriminates the Chinese and the Indians". But, no. To me, you must know the spirit of the social contract.
We’ve been successful for the past 50 years. Why now must we question about it?

Q: People who are registering themselves as voters now consider themselves irrelevant if they cannot participate in remaking Malaysia. How do you address that issue?

A: I don’t agree with that, if they say that they can’t participate in remaking Malaysia. It’s goes back to the perception and maybe because Umno itself becomes - and I’m only talking about UMNO, I don’t want to talk about the other party components. My friends out there sometimes they say that UMNO is like an exclusive party already - that not everybody can join, and, only certain groups can voice their idea. Actually, UMNO’s not like that; but that’s the perception. So, we have to make people realize this, and our approach must also be close to the people.

Q: Regardless of race?

A: Regardsless of race.

Like it or not, Umno is the ruling party in this country. So we have a big responsibility, not to only protect the Malays’ rights, but also the others, our friends, under the BN’s spirit and the social contract. So our approach, our leadership has to know how to handle it.

That’s why I’m always telling my girls (Puteri members) that the Umno elections this time is very important. You must set aside your sentiments and feelings; this is about choosing the right leadership. People out there are waiting. If you choose the wrong leader, people won’t have any confidence in Umno and BN anymore.

So the signal that the people delivered to us at the last election is to protest only; to make us realise, But it doesn’t mean that they don’t love Umno or have no confidence in Umno. I always communicate with my friends out there, and they have a high hopes; their expectations is such.because they say they know whatever we have now is because of Umno’s struggle. So we want Umno to lead, but we also want Umno to change.

Q: What do you think that change has to be?

A: To me, you must listen to the grassroots. Make them participate. Sometimes we can say that we allow them to participate, but they don’t feel like it. We don’t feel like they participate.

It’s very important not only to increase membership, but you must also raise the quality of that membership, You must start looking for various groups - the professional groups to be in, so that we can always have brain storming sessions with them. This is so that they feel they are important and can contribute their ideas, and not have to wait for the branch and divisional meetings or general assembly to put forward an idea. That’s too full of protocol.

Our world now is different; it’s very fast. So you must have those sessions together with them. Where can Puteri help? Like in the issue of economic recession? What is our voice? This is not to say that we want to be political, but at least people should know that this is how young women think, and this is how they think the problem can be overcome.

Q: Can you define the Puteri demographics? Do you know who your people are?

A: Yes, for the time being, I can see who they are. In the beginning, we attracted many young professionals to Puteri. But after seven years, this number has decreased. Now, most of our members are normal people, from the average socio-economic group.

But as far as Puteri leadership is concerned, most of them are at least diploma holders. We still attract the educated lot. Among the ordinary members are also students. But the majority is from the rural areas.

Q: Are you seeing more members who are leaning more towards the centre, or less nationalistic, or more nationalistic?

A: From what I see, all of them joined Puteri because they want to contribute, and because they believe UMNO is the medium for them to contribute. There is a lot they don’t understand yet, and they are lacking in experience; but to me they are nationalists. That’s why I think the leadership in Puteri must have matured leadership to groom these girls, to train them, to motivate them and to inspire them.

Q: Some people would say, whether it’s Malay nationalism or Chinese nationalism, nationalism is actually racial chauvinism. What do you say about that?

A: I don’t think so. In Malaysia, we have a unique country. We have different races, amd we’ve lived in harmony all this while. That’s why BN was formed, to protect. Only MCA knows the problems in the Chinese community; MIC knows about the Indian community and Umno the Malay community. We look after our respective communities.

But at the same time, we look after everyone to live in harmony, to find a formula, to understand each other. If we talk about nationalism being “Oh ,you want only to protect the Malays", we must understand that we are not the only race that lives in this country. We must make friends with the others.

Q: But now some component parties of BN are talking about disbanding the racial-based parties and having just a multi-racial party.

A: I don’t agree with that. If we have a multi-racial party, sooner or later, one day, the issues of race, religion, will come out. We don’t want to become like Indonesia, where they speak in one language only; and even though you’re Indian or Chinese, you must have a Javanese name. Rudi Hartono is not a Malay, is not a Javanese. He’s Chinese.

In the end, this will create dissatisfaction among the races. Whereas, right now, we Umno, MCA, MIC, we protect each others’ rights. We are the only one who know what is the Malays’ sentiments, the Chinese’s sentiments - we form together to live in harmony, in peace.

Q: But being multi-racial doesn’t mean it has to be homogenous.

A: Look at the recent case of the Bar Council forum on conversions.

Conversion is very sensitive. We are not like the Americans or Indonesians. Malaysia is unique. To me, a multi-racial party will not protect the rights of certain races.

Whatever it is, we must understand. Like Indians, for example, don’t follow the same rules as Muslims when setting up a temple. A Muslim neighbourhood has to have a qariah (parish) of at least 40 people before you can set up a mosque.

To the Hindus, whenever a place feels sacred, you have to erect a temple there.

So, we must understand that. If we don’t understand that and we don’t have one body to protect these rights, then the Hindus would have to wait until they had 40 parishioners before they can erect a temple.

Q: But couldn’t the same objective be met by having laws or government policies to ensure that everyone is equal, everyone’s rights would be respected?

A: Sometimes people will say that everybody is equal - that there must be equality. But take for example my family: I have 5 children. One is in secondary school, two are in primary school, and two are not schooling yet. If you’re talking about equal, I’ll give them a monthly allowance of RM5 each, but it’s not fair to the eldest one, because she’s in a hostel and she’s in secondary school. And then, why would I give RM5 to the youngest one, who’s only 2 1/2 years old? What for? She can’t even use it.

It’s about justice.

Q: So your eldest child is who in national politics?

A: The big brother is of course Umno. So my eldest is the big brother. He carries more responsibilities than the others. Because it’s stated in the Federal Constitution, and we have a social contract, where the prime minister must be from Umno.

Q: The constitution says the Prime Minister is the leader of the biggest ruling party.

A: In our case now, the biggest party is Umno, and the ruling party in BN. So, Umno has the biggest responsibility. But we don’t say that we would visit injustice to the others.

Like in our case, we always protect the Chinese schools, the Indian schools, we allow them to speak in their mother tongue, you know. We allow them. We don’t say, “You cannot speak in Chinese, in Indian, you must speak only in Bahasa". No.

Q: The generation born after Merdeka believe that there shouldn’t even be the phrase ’we allow them’. Because this generation believes that - “Who are you to ’allow’ me, when we are all Malaysians?” How do you answer that?

A: I used the word “allow” in the context of the constitution. To me, “we” is not referring to myself as a Malay; but we is the constitution itself, the country itself. I’m not saying that “we” is the dominant Malay. No, not like that.

I refer it to the Malaysian constitution. For instance, under the Malaysian constitution, Islam is the official religion, so we allow Islam to be the official religion, under the Constitution. So I have to clear the word. I’m not saying “we allow the Chinese to speak Chinese” to mean that we the Malays, but the constitution itself, the country itself. Like we allow the Malays to practise the Muslim religion.

Everybody has equal rights - not equal justice - but equal rights to justice under the constitution.

We shouldn’t question what was agreed upon before. We should just understand it and improve on it.

Q: Some people say to not be able to amend or review the social contract is the same as saying that you can never amend or review any law.

A: We have agreed to it before, and I think there’s nothing wrong with it. People in other countries respect us all this while because we’ve managed to live harmoniously; not like in Bosnia or other countries.
I think now the problem is because we misunderstand the law and we interpret it with our perceptions. So, just like with the Quran, we have to tafsir...

Q: Review the interpretation?

A: Yes, review the interpretation, according to the times and situation. So, it’s the same thing with the constitution; we don’t have to amend it.

Q: What happens once the generation that was around when the social contract was written is no longer around?

A: I don’t know. I still remember when I was a child, in my village, there’s a minority of Chinese, but we lived together without any prejudice. We lived in peace and harmony, they could speak Malay very well with our dialect, and until now I still respect them as one of my makcik and pakcik in the kampung. We never had any ill-feelings, and they never accused us of being unfair, and we never said they were “menumpang” (squatting) at our place.

But now it’s different. Why?

Is it because there is a gap? I don’t know. During my university days, I didn’t see us mix much. The Malay students mixed with the Malays, the Chinese with the Chinese, the Indians with the Indians.

Q: Why did that happen?

A: I’m not sure. We tried to mix, I think. The new generation, our lifestyle now, we like to have our privacy, we don’t live in the kampung anymore. We live in the city - you stay in your condominiums, you don’t even know who are your neighbours. I think that’s one of the factors. You don’t communicate with each other.

Like in BN itself - we don’t communicate with our friends in Puteri MCA, Puteri MIC. We rarely have that kind of opportunity, except when there are programmes, like they celebrate Deepavali or Chinese New Year. But we don’t sit together, exchange ideas, find our similarities.

Q: Don’t opportunities have to be created?

A: Yes. We have to work on that.

Q: If you were the Puteri head, how would you bridge the racial gap?

A: Well, first I think we must have an understanding between the leaders. Try to find our similarities as the young generation in BN. We must clarify whatever misunderstandings between us. Everybody knows that Malaysia doesn’t belong to the Malays only. Malaysia belongs to everybody. Malays, Chinese, Indians. So, we must have an understanding, we must respect each other for that. We have to be tolerant.

But the social contract must be our basic guidance. If we have respect for whatever has been achieved before in the social contract, I think there shouldn’t be a problem.

We want to live in peace and harmony in Malaysia. We know that as leaders in BN, we know that BN is the best formula, so we have to uphold this.

Q: In the middle of this year, it was strongly expected that you would be appointed to look after women’s affairs and family development in Pahang. But the Menteri Besar said that you were not as yet qualified. So what makes you think that you’re qualified to head Puteri?

A: I think that’s different. I was with Puteri from Day One. I know it inside-out. I know Puteri’s problems, I have felt our best moments, and our saddest moments. I have felt everything, and know every step of the Puteri journey.

But a state Exco is different - the state level is different. If I become an assemblywoman, I become the people’s representative. I know it’s very different to be in Puteri and to handle the community - the real world - it’s very different.

In Puteri, you are in charge of the direction of a group of young Malay women. You know the direction. But with the people, it’s different, because you have to deal with many different types of people.

The MB told me “You have a lot more to learn. You have a long way to go"; and I accepted it.

That was seven months ago. Now, I think I can handle my constituency very well. I have a good machinery there. I have a very good relationship with the leadership there, the ketua kampung, branch leaders of Umno, MCA and MIC. We understand each other very well and are like a big family there and they’re very supportive now that I’m running for number one (in Puteri Umno).

Q: Should an age limit be put on Wanita, so that only those who are above 35 can join it? So that there won’t be an overlap with Puteri membership.

A: That’s what we’ve been trying to fight for from day one. We’ve tried to fight for automatic membership, where an 18-year-old will automatically be drafted into Puteri, and when she reaches 36-years-old, she is automatically transferred into Wanita.

I will fight for this. To make things easier. Let the younger generation be under Puteri. So that we won’t have a conflict in drafting new members. In any case, everyday, Wanita gets new members who have graduated from Puteri.

Q: Do Puteri members feel that they have a future in Wanita?

A: There are two groups: the ones who can’t be bothered compete for positions in Wanita will retire and be only an Umno member; but some of us will join Wanita and go through the process of competing for positions. What to do? You can’t just sit around and wait for things to happen just like that.

Q: Do you see former Puteri members who have been pensioned out of Puteri not joining Wanita?

A: There are quite a number - those who don’t want to go through the hard process. I think it’s a waste, because you have trained good people, and now they just don’t have any position.

If I become the next Puteri head, I hope to call them back and give them one task in grooming the new leadership of Puteri. These people can be facilitators and moderators to our programmes.

Q: We’re going to see a transition of the top leadership in the country. Because you’re in the BN team, what will your advice or contribution be to the transition?

A: I see this transition as a move that’s made by the grassroots. It wouldn’t have happened without a move from the bottom. How I can contribute is by sharing the information and feelings of the grassroots, and also interpret it into action. We can be the bridge between the top leadership and the people. Puteri is closer to the people with our NGO movement, so we know exactly what the people’s problems are.

Q: Being a grassroots leader, do you think that the leadership is too far removed from the grassroots?

A: Not too far; but there’s a gap. That’s what the people think.

Q: Is that a perception, or is it reality?

A: I think there’s some truth in it.

Q: Why does it happen?

A: Can I not answer this question? (Laughs) Sometimes, when we are in a leadership position, we forget that we are there because of other people. Maybe we are too excited (in wanting to contribute) that we forget that other people want to participate as well.

Take Puteri, for example. Before I became an assemblywoman, we were too focused on the formation of Puteri movement, and our members only. And we reach the people with our programmes only. We think of doing community service, going to poor people’s dwellings as part of our activities. But it’s only activities.

When I became an assemblywoman, I realised that actually, we should play a bigger role besides just running activities. You must do the follow-up.

We always do activities, but no follow-up. We do the activity for the sake of having activities - so that people can see that we are active, that we reach the society.

But what’s the follow-up? We don’t do the follow-up.

I think that’s what makes us have a gap with the people.

We are “syiok sendiri". (laughs)

We have to admit that.

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