Rare peek into personal life at Selangor MB's book launch

Growing up in the Abdul Khalid Ibrahim household meant that birthdays did not come with toys.

Instead, his daughter Siti Izatul Hawa recalled in a video presentation during her father's book launch yesterday, birthdays meant investments for the future.

"We got 'amanah saham' (unit trusts)," Siti Izatul recalled, to laughter from the room filled with the Selangor Menteri Besar's friends and family.

Known for this financial prudence as state administrator, the strict dad seems to have changed his tune-at least in the birthday gift department.

"Well, with my grandson...," he trails off to bursts into laughter.

Two-year-old Muhammad Arif Fitri, his mother Siti Aida Fitri and her sister Siti Zaharah were in the audience as Abdul Khalid's wife Salbiah Tunut launched the MB's first ever book, Fearless : From Kampung Boy to CEO .

Rarely seen on the political trial, Sabiah's speech gave a peek into Abdul Khalid's personal life, including how the couple met.

"We met in Kuantan. There was no romen-romen (romance). I told him if you want me, you have to meet my mother, so he did and asked my parents for my hand in marriage.

"We were engaged in Ramadan and three months later, we were married," she said of the marriage which would last 40 years.

Praying against politics

Supportive of her husband's successful corporate career, she had reservations when he joined active politics by going for the division chief post in Umno.

She said her mother-in-law, too, had serious reservations over "what politics will do to her son" and the duo had prayed against it.

"He campaigned hard, coming home at 3am and getting cranky due to lack of sleep so my mother-in-law and I both prayed he wouldn't become a politician.

"He lost by two votes, so I'm guessing that was my vote and my mother-in-law's vote," she quipped.

She, however, supported him when he joined PKR, following the party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's release from prison, but was "worried" about Abdul Khalid taking the MB's post.

"When the announcement was made that he had won (the Ijok seat in 2008), someone carried him and said 'This is our MB!'.

"I thought of how life would be if he was the MB, so I kept praying, worried due the circumstances then which politicians in the room would understand," she said.

She added she was also anxious about how her life would change if she were to become the MB's wife but her fears proved to be unfounded.

"People ask me now how it is to be the MB's wife. I say I am Khalid's wife. At home he is not the MB, he is Khalid Ibrahim. Our life is the same as before," she said.

Thanking his wife, Abdul Khalid said their lives now revolve around keeping up with their only grandchild's activities.

"He can now speak two languages," the grandfather beamed.

'Passion for bashing Noh Omar'

In his speech, he tipped his hat to old friends and colleagues, including Selangor exco members of which he singled out exco in charge of local government Ronnie Liu ( right in photo ) as an "interesting personality".

"(Liu) is a great challenge to all of us. I try to get to know him so I Googled his name and got more stories than I have, especially in regard to how to deal with the police," he said, to laughter from the eco table.

He also thanked his political secretary Faekah Husin, who he said had been given a hard time by the media for her role, although he suspects she "actually enjoys it".

"She has a passion for bashing (Selangor BN deputy liaision chief) Noh Omar," he said, tongue-in-cheek.

Speaking to reporters later, he said the book is a light read which aims to inspire youngsters to strive for their dreams.

More a collection of anecdotes than a memoir, the 74-page book contains lessons from his childhood and corporate years, interspersed with pearls of wisdom and photographs of Abdul Khalid as a young man.

He said the book, which took six months to complete in the midst of his busy schedule, is "practice" for his next book which he hopes will be "more academic".

"This book is not to make money but to give back to society. The proceeds will go to Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) which will in turn distribute it to charity," he said.

"The main lesson is to be yourself."

The book is published in full colour by MBI and is available at major bookstores for RM25 each.