Storm brewing in Promuda
The Star – 14/6/2006
THERE was only standing room when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave a talk to Promuda at the Petronas Tower last week.  It was a day before Dr Mahathir’s stunning outburst against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his administration. The two events were unrelated but the last few days have found Promuda (Dewan Profesional Muda Malaysia) dragged along by the political undertow.  
On the day Dr Mahathir’s comments hit the headlines, Promuda chairman Don Rahim joined the fray by coming out in support of the former premier. He defended Dr Mahathir’s right to air his views, which was fine by his members. But some of them took exception to Don’s unreserved support for Dr Mahathir’s views. They thought the 33-year-old London School of Economics graduate had compromised Promuda’s golden rule of being a strictly non-political group.  
Since then, Promuda has been going through a little storm of its own.  Don has come under intense fire from his members, his treasurer Tengku Zafrul Aziz resigned in a protest of sorts, and his deputy chairman Romil Shamsudin had to cobble out a lengthy explanation of the organisation’s stand on the controversy.  
Promuda, it is said, had fallen victim to the fallout from the latest storm surrounding Dr Mahathir. It was rather high drama for a seemingly fringe organisation that most people had only a vague sense of.  Promuda was formed in 1998 around the time former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sacked. It was unapologetically non-political at a time when everything was so political.  
The multi-racial group is for under-35 professionals to network and participate in programmes connected to their budding careers. It is one of the more thinking organisations around.  
“If you take part in our discussions, you’d think we are at war because of the way we argue the issues. If there’s one group that doesn’t buy into propaganda, it’s us,” said member Akhram Sanusi, who works for a multinational company. They are also interested in current issues, and that includes politics. As such, the group has also heard from the likes of DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (before he was re-embraced by Umno), Kelantan firebrand Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Umno treasurer Datuk Azim Zabidi.  
And they do ask their speakers some pretty prickly questions. Dr Mahathir was asked why he should be given airtime now when he had not tolerated press freedom when he was in power. These people can also distinguish the fine line on issues.   
For instance, Akhram noted that many of those around the Prime Minister had spoken out on the Dr Mahathir controversy. But instead of answering the queries raised by Dr Mahathir, they had largely defended the Prime Minister while asking the elder statesman to keep quiet.  

“They did not put forward any point of view at all,” said Akhram.   
These guys are definitely no yes-men. So why the fuss over Don’s position on Dr Mahathir?  There have been mixed feelings about Don’s leadership for a while now. He is said to be pleasant, though somewhat headstrong on issues he feels passionate about. There have been calls within Promuda for Don to step aside, just as there are expressions of support for him. Tengku Zafrul’s resignation is said to have resulted from an accumulation of various acts linked to Don.  
For instance, Don had been making statements such as asking for International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz’s resignation at the height of the AP issue, and commenting on the Prime Minister’s thinking style. Recent speakers at Promuda’s lecture series also seemed to have come from one side – former Proton CEO Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff and former political secretary to Dr Mahathir, Matthias Chang.  
“Tun has the right to speak but we can’t take sides on what he said. We don’t want to be associated with that sort of political stand,” said a member. Members said they have close ties with the corporate sector rather than political parties.  
“We are a pragmatic organisation,” said Akhram. Still, people are wondering whether the divide in Promuda may also have to do with the fact that key figures in the organisation are of the same generation as the youngish circle around the Prime Minister.Incidentally, Dr Mahathir’s son Datuk Mukhriz was Promuda’s guest speaker last night, at the same venue that his father spoke at last week.  
Will that add to the storm blowing through Promuda?   
Source: http://thestar.com.my