No cause for worry

CAFE LATTE CHAT

KEDAH Mentri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, 64, has astounded critics with his zest for the job. He begins his day early as usual, meeting kampung folk in his modest office-cum-residence (he has been paying RM1,000 monthly rental to PAS for over 10 years despite the going rate being only RM300) located along the trunk road in his rural Sungai Limau constituency.

Here, he is still very much the Ustaz Azizan residents have known since he became their assemblyman in 1995.

Born and bred in the area, Azizan used to brave stormy waters as a fisherman during his younger years there.

Now Mentri Besar and Yang Amat Berhormat, there is no change in his demeanour as he sits on the worn sofa wearing a sarung, baju Melayu and kopiah (skullcap).

“Nyonya, ada apa. Boleh saya tolong?” he asks a middle-aged Chinese businesswoman who approaches him with a RM40,000 unpaid bill for furniture supplied to the Kedah Football Association.

A youth comes seeking his help to settle a traffic fine. And then a makcik pleads for her daughter to be accepted into university.