It was a time when women were seen and seldom heard, at least in public. And it was a time when men were at the forefront of decision-making and indeed, were spearheading a fledgling movement for freedom from British colonial rule.

Given the circumstances, no one would have blamed Kedah-born Kamaliah Mohd Salleh then in her 20s if she had decided to play the retiring rose and watch the struggle for liberation from the sidelines. But when the call came, she waded into the fight with gusto.

In the mid-1940s, she was one of only two women who were bold enough to speak in public to condemn the British plan to create the Malayan Union proposal, a move that would have removed Malay rights even as a new entity was created out of the nine Malay states and two Crown colonies in the peninsula.

"It was fun then you know," says Kamaliah, now 76, of the anti-Malayan Union movement. "We were all sincere. We were willing to contribute to the struggle because we loved our people and our country."

The Tunku's plea

Reminiscing about the old days, she proudly narrates how she and several Umno members including the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj went to Kuala Kangsar, Perak, in 1946 for the historic discussion between Malay groups, the Malay Rulers and the British administration.

She pointed to a framed picture of an ordinary wooden house in Alor Setar, hanging among many photos in her house in Kampung Melayu Ampang, she says it holds special memories. That was the house where the Tunku had stood on the doorstep, coaxing her to attend the Kuala Kangsar meeting.

Although many women were involved in the Independence movement in Kedah the Tunku's home state most were simply too shy to speak in public, he had told her. It was all she needed to make up her mind.

"There were others (who were) more qualified but none were willing...someone had do it. The duty fell on me and I accepted it," she says with quiet dignity.

"I wanted to show that we could succeed if we had the will. The only thing that saddened me was the fact that I had to leave my 18-month-old twins whom I was still breastfeeding."

Since she had no qualms about speaking her mind out, she was later voted to head many women's organisations and went on to become the first Kedah Wanita Umno chief.

A bold speech

Kamaliah recounts the preparations for the meeting, which involved borrowing a baju kebaya from her sister. The Tunku borrowed an old car from a villager, since he had sold his own car to raise funds for the trip.

"We were not rich. But (the lack of) money was never a source of frustration then," she says.

Without relying on a prepared text, Kamaliah gave a speech (which many afterwards described as "bold" and which instantly brought her fame) before the British Governor, the nine Malay sultans and a mainly male audience.

"I became well known not because I was one of only two women speakers (the other was Saleha Ali, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sister-in-law), but due to what I said. I told the meeting that Malaya was a small country but that it has nine Malay sultans yet, we were still ruled by the British queen," she recalls.

"While some were amused, many were afraid that I might have offended the sultans. But I replied that I had merely said what was in my mind, and that it was nothing more than the truth."

Deep disapproval

Kamaliah, who appears to have lost none of her fiesty spirit, does not hide her disapproval of the current crop of leaders and politicians whom she describes as "selfish people who are always thinking of their pockets".

"Things are different now. Men and women, they are all the same. When they contribute they expect something in return," she says scathingly.

She is disappointed that traditional values like commitment to citizens and the country have been eroded "almost to the point of disappearing" because of corruption.

It does not mean that corruption is a new practice. She herself encountered incidents for the first time in the 1960s when she moved to Perak with her husband, who was working in the mines department.

For the next 15 years, as Kamaliah became actively involved in Umno activities, she found out that business people in the state were not averse to bribing even legislators.

Her anger was also aroused by leaders who lived in nice houses and had well-lined pockets, while some in their constituency barely had enough for their daily needs.

"I confronted them and they apologised to me. I told them they didn't owe me anything, but that they had a duty to improve the lives of villagers. Things became so bad that I couldn't take it any more. So, I persuaded my husband to transfer to Johor," she says.

Cordial ties with opposition

Kamaliah treasures her stint with Umno up to the 1960s for a particular reason. She says there was a sense of dignity and cordiality even between political enemies a feature that she feels is absent today.

"We did not attack one another. They respected me as much as I respected them. When I wanted to leave Perak, even DAP and PAS held farewell parties for me," she says nostalgically.

"Of course, we campaigned against one another's party but we never traded insults. Aren't we all the same? Whether Malay, Chinese or Indians, we have the same role to serve the people in the country."

She has kept up an amicable relationship with opposition party members in Perak up to now, claiming to still receive a warm welcome whenever she visits Kampar and other places in the state.

Kamaliah says she frequently reminded present Umno leaders that slander and insults are undemocratic tactics, right up to the time she ended volunteer work on behalf of the party after the 1999 election campaign.

"I stopped because of their habit of hurling insults at opposition members...why bad-mouth our rivals? Politics are about democracy, so there is no reason to resort to name-calling. All we have to do is promote our party and ideology and let them do the same," she notes.

Still fiercely loyal to Umno, she nonetheless voted for the opposition during the last general election in 1999 because of her disenchantment with party leaders.

Words of wisdom

At Umno's 40th anniversary celebrations, she boldly advised delegates that they should curb their obsession with "accumulating wealth" and start considering the needs of the future generation.

"I told them not to be complacent just because we have the Twin Towers and other (signs of) development. If we are not careful, we just might fall into another type of colonialism," she says.

She sees the next big "national" battle as being against corruption, saying this is just as necessary as liberation to the well- being of the nation.

"What is wealth if it destroys future generations? When we die, we can't take it with us. You have to realise that corruption will not benefit anyone, it will just taint your name," were her parting words of wisdom.

It bears thinking about, as the nation celebrates 45 years of independent rule.