LANGKAWI (May 6): Former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz reminded voters that they are the ‘taukeh’ (boss) to choose the right contractor to administer the government when the new ‘tender’ comes up on May 9.

“We cannot continue in this business as usual mode forever. When the tender comes up, give the job to someone who can do it. We are not trying to bring down anyone. It is not our intention but we need to change the contractor,” she told people who attended her talk entitled ‘An Evening with the Iron Lady’ here.

The former Wanita Umno chief for 10 years till 2009, also asked voters to stop identifying themselves based on ethnicity but call themselves Malaysians.

“I have always hated racial politics. Why should we differentiate ourselves? If you say you are Malay or Chinese or Indian, I ask you where are you from? You will say you are from Malaysia. So say you are Malaysian, not your ethnicity. You can explain later but you must first say you are Malaysian,” she said in her usual satirical way.

Rafidah, 75, who joined former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s campaign under Pakatan Harapan to ‘save Malaysia’, said she could not tolerate the way the country was being administered.

To date, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman Mahathir has his Cabinet comrades like former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, Information, Communication and Culture Minister Tan Sri Rais Yatim, and Rafidah participating in Pakatan’s fight.

“In fact, I didn’t join Mahathir because he was the Prime Minister or that I am loyal to him. I just could not tolerate what was happening to this country, and so I decided to fight for his cause. The system needs to be repaired,” she added.