Zainuddin Maidin, the former Information Minister, and media man Johan Jaafar got close to the pulse of the nation whenever they were with “Suara Keramat”. “The people were concerned about their future and that of the nation.”

“We can feel their hearts beating in anxiety, bordering on panic, as they feel for the nation. They are not taken in by hype, painting a rosy picture of the state of the nation.”

The situation was reiterated when he, also a one time Editor-in-Chief of Utusan Malaysia, gathered with some Suara Keramat members recently at Restoran Nasi Kandar Kudu along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. “We were also joined a strong Najib supporter, who was able to witness for himself that many people were happy to be photographed with us — critics — and did not feel that they were in any danger.”

“Many said they follow my blog.”

Zainuddin reckons that the reception that Johan and he received at Suara Keramat and the restaurant was because the people concerned were proud to know them as strong Umno supporters, and members who knew better the soul of the party, and understood what dignity was all about. “This is unlike those who celebrate 40 years in politics but have yet to stand for anything.”

“The people know that leaders bragging about their 40 years in the field cannot differentiate between destruction and developing the integrity of the nation, between putting on a show and making up stories on the country which flies in the face of the facts on the ground, and on the real situation in the country.

Again, at the recent launch of the book by Nor Mohamed Yakcop, “Pushing The Boundries — Stories from Putrajaya Years”, at a public forum, where the emphasis was on the Mahathir era, “It was clear, in discussing the role of professionals in managing the economy, that the Mahathir era stood out as a giant of a period, full of initiatives and achievements which have entered the history books.There was hardly any mention of the present as if it was too sensitive to consider.”