In this episode, YB Syed Ahmad, formerly known as Altimet, takes us through his bold leap from music to politics—why he walked away, what he’s fighting for now, and how fame and public service are more alike than you’d think.
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MusicTranscript
00:00What's the biggest misconception people have about you as a politician?
00:03I think generally is because he's an entertainer, he's a star,
00:06I call it a celebrity, he's sombong.
00:09As far as performing, I really have no idea. I don't miss it.
00:12That's a reflection of how much you enjoy what you're doing now, right?
00:15Is that what it is?
00:16I think it's a reflection of how much I let go.
00:19So being an artist, artists are quite selfish people.
00:22They make art for themselves.
00:24So I'm like, okay, now what are you going to do?
00:27You know, you spent so many years being selfish.
00:29Let's try being selfless.
00:30How would you describe your leadership style?
00:34On the ground, hands on, roll your sleeves up and do work out.
00:44Okay, it's another episode of The Shock Podcast, Life Confessions,
00:49where we speak to movers and shakers in the world.
00:52And today it's someone who doesn't need an introduction,
00:55but I am going to introduce him anyway.
00:57A man who was on the music scene for years and years,
01:00still is in fact a part of it, but has now moved on to public service,
01:05YB Saeed Ahmad of Lembah Jaya.
01:08But you may know him also as Ultimate.
01:11Thank you so much for joining us here today.
01:13Thank you for having me.
01:14Okay, before we talk to you, do I call you YB?
01:16Do I call you Alta?
01:17It's your call.
01:18It's your call.
01:19You know, one of the things that many people ask before,
01:22when they found out I was going to be speaking to you,
01:24is, is there any chance that the Tay Tarik crew will be getting together for one song?
01:31A reunion performance?
01:32No, I don't think so.
01:33No.
01:33I don't think so because we talked about it and we feel that there's four of us.
01:38If there's any kind of reunion, it should be all four.
01:42It has to be a unanimous vote, you know, and there is a member who does not want to be doing music anymore.
01:52Right.
01:53So, it's all or nothing.
01:54That's how you felt, right?
01:55It's all or nothing.
01:56And to be clear, we just stopped making music together.
01:59We are still friends.
02:00There's no, like, sensational.
02:02We fight and throw stuff or get into a brawl.
02:05Right.
02:06You know, there's none of that.
02:07It's all civil conversation.
02:09Guys, I think we reached the natural conclusion of this phase of our lives.
02:14Let's go and everything.
02:15Oh yeah, I think so too.
02:16Okay, okay.
02:17Speaking about phases of life.
02:19Yeah.
02:20What was your childhood like in PGA?
02:22Were you always, like, creative?
02:24What was growing up like for you?
02:26What was growing up for me?
02:27I spent a lot of time listening to music and reading books.
02:32Okay.
02:33Yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:34I was a nerd.
02:35I mean, I'm still a nerd, but when people see like, oh, he used to be a rapper, he's
02:38not a nerd.
02:39No, I'm actually a nerd.
02:40That surprises people, I'm sure.
02:41Yeah.
02:42Now, when you say you read a lot of books, like, can you tell us about some of those
02:45books that you read when in your childhood?
02:47Okay.
02:48You come from, I was from a middle class family.
02:50Okay.
02:51So in the 80s, if you are from a middle class family, you always have encyclopedia.
02:54Yeah.
02:55Yeah.
02:56That includes A, B, C.
02:57Right.
02:58You know, so when there was nothing else to read, I will read that.
03:01Okay.
03:02And then, of course, again, being from a middle class family, my father or my mom will subscribe
03:06to Reader's Digest.
03:07Oh, yeah.
03:08Yeah.
03:09So like it or not, because you're bored, you've got nothing else to do.
03:12That's one of the things to read.
03:13And I will also read storybooks.
03:15I like movies like E.T. and Star Wars turn me on to science fiction and fantasy novels.
03:22So at least I, you know.
03:24That's amazing because that's almost like my childhood.
03:26Yeah.
03:27Reader's Digest always skipped to the laughter is the best medicine part where it's all
03:30the jokes, right?
03:31I think that was the entrance, you see.
03:32Yeah.
03:33I think that was one of the things that was good about Reader's Digest.
03:36It had all these jokes, right?
03:38So even if you don't like reading any of the articles you read, you read laughter is
03:44the best medicine and lives like that or, you know, things like that.
03:47Yeah.
03:47And sometimes there's a joke at the end of the article.
03:50So it's like a payoff.
03:52Okay.
03:52I read this one.
03:53I read this one.
03:55I can get to read the joke.
03:56What was that one year subscription that you were paying, you know, at that time?
03:58I think we whack that one.
04:00I think money was spent on, if my parents did a customer satisfaction survey for Reader's
04:06Digest in the household, I would say, okay, five stars.
04:08Good job.
04:09Thank you for subscribing because I didn't pay.
04:12Well, that's the takeaway right there.
04:14Yes.
04:15Now, people would never guess that you were sounding more like an introvert when you were
04:19younger.
04:20I was.
04:21I think, yeah, I still am.
04:22Yeah.
04:23Yeah.
04:24How did you learn to be more outspoken as an introvert?
04:27On stage.
04:28All right.
04:29On stage.
04:30We had to learn.
04:31I mean, we had to learn.
04:32It was part of it.
04:33Of course, at the start, when we were performing as a theater crew, we always thought that,
04:38okay, you have some nice lyrics.
04:40You are a good songwriter.
04:42But it's not.
04:43It's about putting a whole song together.
04:45And when you're performing, if you have good vocals, that is it.
04:48It's not.
04:49Everything is your movement is, is, is what you say between songs and all that.
04:53So we're like, okay, you know, we thought we knew everything, but obviously we don't.
04:57So let's, let's learn.
04:58Let's pick up how to do this, you know, and, and we, we, we, we learn through experience
05:03and just trying things out.
05:05You know, sometimes you say the wrong thing or inappropriate things.
05:09And you say, sometimes you make jokes that don't work.
05:11That's not suitable to the crowd.
05:13You think it's funny, but you know, they don't share that opinion.
05:16Right.
05:17And you, that's where we learn.
05:18That's where we learn it.
05:19Yeah.
05:20I think you, you definitely managed to show that you were doing the right thing because
05:26the number of people who remember your music until now, it's still on their playlist
05:30until now from actual albums to now being on playlists on digital platforms.
05:35When you think back now, do you actually feel like the same person that you were back then?
05:41No, definitely not.
05:43There's add-ons.
05:44It's add-ons.
05:46I mean, at the core of it, I think, I think I'm pretty much the same person, but you learn
05:52along the way, you learn new skills, your perspective changes, you know, your experiences,
05:57you know, your experiences are like a lens that you perceive the world, you know?
06:04So, so that is a, that is a factor, I think.
06:07So you got upgraded.
06:08Kind of like that.
06:10And of course there is that, okay, it's time to be, it's time to be more social.
06:14Right.
06:15So let's put on the more social, you know?
06:17And then when you, when you're done, you can take it off.
06:19Right.
06:20You know?
06:21So it helped, it turns out it helps, it helped me to what, in, in what I'm doing now
06:25actually.
06:26Right.
06:27And look at where you are now.
06:28I mean, the life you've led has been an amazing one.
06:30You're having, in fact, was there someone in your family, maybe a parent, a sibling,
06:35a relative who influenced your path, whether it's music or even the values that you hold
06:41till today.
06:42Is there a main person or people who do that?
06:45Not really.
06:46No.
06:47Okay.
06:48It's self-learned and through exposure.
06:50It's self-learned and sometimes it's in resistance towards what they thought.
06:54They're like, hey, no, don't, don't be a, don't be a musician.
06:57Okay.
06:58You don't like, I will do.
07:00You know?
07:01So there's, if you're talking, I think you're framing the question in like, as in support.
07:06So support, no, not really.
07:08But, but some resistance did help.
07:11Right.
07:12It's great motivation, being, being told that you can't do it or you're not suitable to do
07:16it.
07:17Yeah.
07:18How do you deal with those kinds of relationships?
07:20Because it's the people you love.
07:22Yeah.
07:23Who are telling you that, you know, to change your path.
07:26Right.
07:27I think, I think you have to listen to them, you know, because they, they, whatever they're
07:31saying, it comes from a place of love.
07:33It comes out of concern.
07:34So you should listen to them.
07:35But ultimately the, the, the decision that you make, uh, the, the person, the, the person
07:41who's get, who gets impacted the most out of it is yourself.
07:45Right.
07:46The person that has to live with it is you.
07:48And the person that has to be able to sleep at night is you.
07:52Hmm.
07:53So go with, you know, and even, let's say you try something and it doesn't work out.
07:56Hmm.
07:57You know, and then you can say, look, okay, I, I tried it.
07:59I know it doesn't work.
08:00Right.
08:01It's all on me.
08:02Hmm.
08:03You know, I, I own this that let me own this, the success and the failures all you own.
08:06Right.
08:07Yeah.
08:08It's like you respectfully decline and want to make your own mistakes as well.
08:10Yes.
08:11And you know, you've tried it.
08:12Yes.
08:13Do you feel like the choice that you made to pursue hip hop?
08:17Yeah.
08:18Right.
08:19Was that where some of the pushback came?
08:20Because it's not only was it music, but it was the type of music that you chose to pursue.
08:25Like perhaps if you wanted to become a pop singer instead.
08:28I don't know.
08:29I'll become a pop singer.
08:30I want to.
08:31Oh, please.
08:32Based on your following people.
08:35No, man.
08:36No.
08:37No, I don't think so.
08:38I think it was just music.
08:39And I think the concerns that were, that were listed to me, because it's more than one concern.
08:44I think it was valid.
08:46Right.
08:47Fortunately, my parents taught me to go to, okay, listen, listen to the concerns and you address,
08:53identify the problem and address the problems, address the challenges.
08:56So when they presented the list of their concerns, I'm like, okay, let me work to it one by one.
09:02Okay.
09:03Okay.
09:04They're concerned about financial feasibility.
09:07They're concerned about continued continuation in your current or your spirituality and things like that.
09:16I address everything.
09:17Right.
09:18So you had a checklist of.
09:19I had a checklist.
09:20Yeah.
09:21I present PNL or I present.
09:23Right.
09:24Yeah.
09:25Well, definitely something that you can learn from right now that everyone can learn from.
09:27Right.
09:28If you're facing adversity, make a list of what people are worried about, especially the people
09:32who love you.
09:33Yeah.
09:34And then work through it.
09:35Yeah.
09:36Because at the end of the day, I'm, I don't know whether you guys noticed this, but I'm
09:37Asian.
09:38So I have Asian parents.
09:39Asian parents, very simple.
09:40Can make money or not.
09:41Yeah.
09:42It's the truth.
09:43Right.
09:44I say, okay, so what else you want?
09:45I'm not happy.
09:46Oh, I think, you know, this thing will lead you astray from the spiritual path that you're
09:49on.
09:50And you show you that.
09:51Okay.
09:52What else?
09:53What I just keep, you keep, you keep neutralizing or you keep meeting these challenges that in
09:57a way that satisfies them.
09:59Eventually they're like, Oh, okay.
10:01Okay.
10:02I guess, I guess you, you, you're okay.
10:04You're doing okay.
10:05Yeah.
10:06Cause you, you show it by actually living it, right?
10:08Yeah.
10:09By living the truth that you want to show and you're doing okay.
10:12Yeah.
10:13And nobody can argue that you are definitely, you're definitely doing okay.
10:16But bringing it back to the start, I read that Bring The Noise was one of your biggest
10:22influences, right?
10:23Public Enemy.
10:24What was it about that song that became such a big influence on you, for you?
10:29Okay.
10:30At the time, my dad, my parents were divorced.
10:35So I leave my mom.
10:36My mom listened to radio.
10:38Basically whatever that was popular, that was what my mom listened to.
10:42So my access was purely pop music, right?
10:45So I will go to my cousin's house and my cousin, he's a few years older than me and he's into
10:50heavy metal.
10:51Right.
10:52So from there on, from, from that point, it was like, okay, you listening to something
10:57totally different.
10:58Right.
10:59There's nothing, I don't hear anything like this in my mom's house.
11:02So whenever we go to his house, I will listen to his cassettes.
11:04Okay.
11:05Right.
11:06So in this whole bunch of different songs that sound totally different, there was one
11:10song that sounded really more in this particular batch of different song.
11:14It sounds even more different than the rest.
11:16It sounded like it was from another planet and it was bringing the noise.
11:19You know, and that is the song that got me into hip hop.
11:23Was it just the sound or was it the lyrics?
11:25Was it the feet?
11:26It's everything.
11:27It's everything.
11:28It sounded like it was from a different planet.
11:29You know, looking back now, I treasure those times.
11:31You know, cause I can remember exactly like my cousin.
11:33Now he tells me, you know, you know, I'll tell me or not.
11:36I said, yeah.
11:37And you know, he got into hip hop in my bedroom.
11:39He's making credit for it.
11:40No, I think he says he, he, he holds a special place in his heart.
11:45Right.
11:46I'm glad that it makes him glad.
11:47He contributed.
11:48I'm glad for his contribution.
11:50Oh, that's amazing.
11:51Now, now that you've mentioned about how that influenced you, you create music of your
11:55own as well.
11:56You've been creating it for years and years.
11:58Is that what you try to portray through your own music as well?
12:01Change?
12:02No, I try to portray what goes on around me.
12:08Right.
12:09So I, I've been listening to hip hop since maybe 1990, 1991.
12:15Right.
12:16So for me, hip hop has always been urban folk music.
12:21Right.
12:22Folk music.
12:23You talk about what goes on around you.
12:25And when you say folk music, you have a certain, if you, if you, a certain perception,
12:32you know, like Jewel.
12:33Who else?
12:36Yeah.
12:37But you see rappers write their own lyrics.
12:39So they are single songwriters.
12:41You know, it's just that it's more rhythmic than melodic.
12:43Right.
12:44And so you put urban because it's, that's the setting.
12:47I know it's not, it's not rural folk music.
12:49It's urban folk music.
12:50So when you do, when you write urban folk music is whatever that's around you.
12:55Once I figured that out, which was around 2009, 2010, then the career really, really took over.
13:06Right.
13:07Yeah.
13:08You've never looked back ever since.
13:09No man.
13:10No.
13:11Were there things that you wanted to do with your music that you didn't get an opportunity
13:15to do at some point?
13:16I don't think you can achieve 100% of your goals.
13:19Right.
13:20So there are a few, but to counter that, I think I managed to achieve some things that
13:27even I don't, I didn't plan or I didn't even dare to dream of.
13:31Right.
13:32So, you know, it works out, I'm, I'm, you know, certain things are way beyond anybody's
13:38expectations.
13:39Right.
13:40Even you didn't expect.
13:41No, no, no.
13:42There are some things that's, what?
13:44Was everyone around you surprised as well?
13:46I think they were.
13:47Yeah.
13:48Did you make believers out of the people around you?
13:52Like people who were doubters, they were like, wow.
13:54Yeah.
13:55I did.
13:56I did.
13:57I did.
13:58So there is a lot to be thankful for.
14:00Right.
14:01That big shift that has happened.
14:02Yes.
14:03I mean, that's one thing to have made a name for yourself in one field.
14:07And now to go to another field and to make a name for yourself in this as well, in politics,
14:14right?
14:15Why, what brought this on?
14:18Like, was it something you've always wanted to do?
14:20What led to this?
14:21It's not, but I think it feels right for a couple of reasons.
14:25Number one, I have children.
14:27I'm, I'm quite worried about where the country is headed.
14:30You know, I have to say I grew up in a very awesome Malaysia and I want a more awesome
14:36Malaysia for my children and my grandchildren.
14:39That is one.
14:40Two is, how do I say this?
14:43Let me figure it out.
14:44Let me see.
14:46Let me see.
14:47Two is, it's, I spent 20 years being a, being not just an artist, also an entrepreneur in
14:56the music industry.
14:57Right.
14:58Right.
14:59So being an artist, artists are quite selfish people.
15:01Yeah.
15:02Okay.
15:03In the sense that, okay, you know, they are not, they make art for themselves.
15:07Right.
15:08Sometimes just to make themselves happy, a true artist, you know, is, is different from
15:13an entertainer.
15:14An entertainer will try and figure out, okay, what can I make to get the most satisfaction
15:19out of other people?
15:20And artists will think, what can I make?
15:22What can I create that get the most satisfaction out of myself?
15:25Interesting.
15:26Right.
15:27So an artist validation always comes from within.
15:30From doing what you want to do, the way you want to do it.
15:34An entertainer's validation comes from the audience, from outside, external validation.
15:37Right.
15:38Right.
15:39That's how I separate things.
15:40Okay.
15:41You know, everybody can agree, you can disagree, but this is how I see it.
15:44Right.
15:45You know, so I spent that, those, those years.
15:47So I'm like, okay, now what are you going to do?
15:50You know, you spent so many years being selfish.
15:52Let's try being selfless.
15:54Let's try giving selfless a go.
15:56Because you achieve, like I said just now, you achieve a lot of things.
15:59You achieve things that you didn't expect to achieve.
16:01Yeah.
16:02You know, as an entrepreneur, you are basically financially free.
16:08Yeah.
16:09You know, so what else you're going to do?
16:10You got to figure out something.
16:11You got, you got quite a number of years left on earth, theoretically.
16:14Yeah.
16:15So what are you going to do with this time?
16:16Right.
16:17You know, because, I don't know, you all know this, but I'm a bit of a workaholic.
16:21It seems, I mean, no kidding.
16:23No kidding about that.
16:24Yeah.
16:25Yeah.
16:26It doesn't take a lot to realize that because based on what you've achieved so far.
16:29Yeah.
16:30So, so I'm thinking like, dude, if you are a workaholic and you just stop now, you retire,
16:36you're going to, you're going to make yourself go crazy, you know, so you better find something
16:42to do.
16:43Other people have like picked up a hobby.
16:45Yeah.
16:46You decided to take on power.
16:47Yeah.
16:48But I have a hobby.
16:49I have songwriting.
16:50Oh, that's true.
16:51So now that's become the hobby.
16:52That's the hobby.
16:53That's always the passion.
16:54Now, now it's the YB.
16:55Yeah.
16:56Lembah Jaya.
16:57Yes.
16:58Right.
16:59How do you describe your leadership style?
17:00On the ground, hands on, roll your sleeves up and do work.
17:08And when it comes to problem solving or issues and disagreements, what's your style of dealing
17:16with that, how do you overcome?
17:19I think it's, from what I see, a lot of the disagreements, it comes from not communicating
17:25or miscommunication, you know, from what I see so far.
17:29So trying to get everybody on the same page usually comes from being in the same room.
17:34And then it goes from there.
17:36Right.
17:37Yeah.
17:38Sitting down at the table together.
17:39Sitting down at the table together.
17:40And okay, look, everybody say whatever you want to say that, you know, whenever one
17:43person is speaking, don't interrupt him, let him get everything off.
17:46Okay.
17:47Now it's your turn.
17:48Now it's your turn.
17:49Now it's your turn.
17:50Okay.
17:51Where do we go from here?
17:52You know, let's say it's two parties.
17:53Sometimes I draw, we draw out three columns on the, on, on the, on the whiteboard.
17:58So to speak, you know, what is party A is non-negotiables.
18:02Party B is non-negotiables.
18:03What is the negotiable?
18:05So don't touch the non-negotiable.
18:07Let's work on the negotiable first.
18:08Sounds like this has happened a lot already.
18:10Yeah.
18:11Yeah.
18:12Yeah.
18:13Quite sensitive issues as well.
18:14Yeah.
18:15Yeah.
18:16Does being a father influence your style of leadership?
18:19I think it does.
18:20Hmm.
18:21I think it does.
18:22I don't know how, but you know, I don't have enough time.
18:24I haven't done it enough time to look back and, and analyze it.
18:27But yes.
18:28Right.
18:29Is there a crossover of skills?
18:31Yes.
18:32When it comes to fatherhood and...
18:34Oh no, no.
18:35I thought being an entertainer and being...
18:36Oh no, that would be the next question actually.
18:37Yes.
18:38Yes.
18:39In fatherhood, yes.
18:42Because if, if you're a parent in a, in a, in a family, you have a different perspective.
18:48Hmm.
18:49You know, you see the bigger picture.
18:50Hmm.
18:51As opposed to a child.
18:52A child is not, a child only sees this one.
18:54And it happens.
18:55It happens.
18:56I see the same thing in the constituency as well.
18:58Hmm.
18:59With the constituents when they have an issue.
19:00Hmm.
19:01Hmm.
19:02To them, that is the only issue in Lembah Jaya.
19:05For me, it's one of, to put it mildly, one of a few issues.
19:09Right.
19:10You know, I want to say many or so, you let me, everybody will think, oh, Lembah Jaya
19:13isn't best.
19:14Yeah.
19:15No, no, no.
19:16One of the few issues.
19:17Right.
19:18And, and, and I don't treat them like children, but I, there are similarities in the dynamic
19:25whereby if they have a problem, I want it done now.
19:27Right.
19:28Because you have to validate each person's problems.
19:30Yes.
19:31Because to each person, their problem is the biggest problem.
19:33Yeah.
19:34Yeah.
19:35And another thing that I found out or I've, I've noticed is a certain level of bureaucracy
19:41is needed.
19:42Hmm.
19:43How so?
19:44You know, like if there is a problem, if it's not pressing, if it's pressing, of course,
19:49we're trying to solve it on the same day, but there is going to be some problems or some
19:53challenges that will take weeks, months, maybe even years.
19:57Right.
19:58So, you know, we got, I think everybody needs to know that and be a bit more pragmatic.
20:03Hmm.
20:04But your constituents will not always be that pragmatic.
20:07Right.
20:08They're like, what's so hard?
20:10You have, you just, you know, but it's not like that.
20:13It's my longkang, Sumbat.
20:14That's the most important thing to me.
20:16Yeah.
20:17But every other person has an issue as well and trying to deal with all of it.
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21:36Coming back to the question that you thought I was going to ask just now, which is actually,
21:40is there a crossover of skills between being an entertainer, a performer, and now being YB?
21:45Yes, because you always, you are facing the public.
21:48You are facing the public and you put yourself out there.
21:52If you are, you have to be ready to be praised and to be criticized.
21:56Right.
21:57Right.
21:58And you must be, you know, you can't please everyone.
22:01Not everyone will like, you know, what you do when you're in front.
22:05There is also the public, your constituents, they only see the show.
22:12They don't see the pre-production.
22:14Right.
22:15This is industry.
22:16Pre-production, all the meetings before that.
22:18You know, the procedures that we have to go through to fix the, or to meet the challenge.
22:27They don't see that.
22:28They don't see post-production also.
22:30You know, they just get to enjoy the performance or the song, so to speak.
22:33So they get to enjoy the result.
22:34But they don't know like, oh, why is it taking so long?
22:36I say, oh, because we have to go to the district office or we have to go to the local council.
22:40Right.
22:41You know, and things like that.
22:42So they don't really, they understand it, but they don't understand it.
22:48So it's interesting that being a rapper musician has prepared you so much for this role that you've taken now.
22:56But I think anything, when you change careers, you will bring across your skill set.
23:02And you might not use all of it, but you know, you never know, it might come in handy.
23:05You always, it's always useful to bring, to bring your skill set, your toolbox along.
23:10Every, all experience can be used in one way or another.
23:13One way or another.
23:14Correct.
23:15Right.
23:16You know, you were, you've been a very successful musician as a rapper.
23:21You've got the album sales to prove it.
23:24You've won AJL, right?
23:27And that's proven your success.
23:29How do you measure your success now?
23:32How would you measure your success now as a, as YB?
23:35Yeah.
23:36I don't know, man.
23:37I think, again, it's, it's, for me, when I was, when I was in music, my, my successes were not the trophies.
23:46My successes were intangible stuff.
23:48You know, like people coming up to you and say, thank you for writing our story.
23:53Right.
23:54You know, there's things like, hey, you know, the, there was one guy, he's one of my favorite stories.
24:00His wife said, you know, I know last time I had a crush on this, one of my classmates.
24:09Okay.
24:10So then after exams, you all went to karaoke.
24:11I sing your song because the crush on her, the cantik song.
24:15I want to introduce you to the girl.
24:16This is my wife and this is our son.
24:18Wow.
24:19Ah, you know, so that is, for me, it's like, it's not the trophy.
24:22I don't have any of my trophies.
24:23I give my trophies away.
24:24Oh, right.
24:25Yeah.
24:26My, my mother got one.
24:27My manager got one.
24:28My, my, my son got one.
24:29My son got one.
24:30My kids got one.
24:31Cause that's how you measure success.
24:32No, not really.
24:33I don't have the, when you go from the house or you go to the office or the trophies.
24:37So none of that.
24:38I think that would surprise a lot of people.
24:40Yeah.
24:41Maybe.
24:42I don't know.
24:43Cause you measure success through how you've touched people's lives.
24:46Yeah.
24:47Yeah.
24:48So maybe, maybe I think it would be important for me as, as a, as a, uh, wakil rakyat,
24:52he would be the impact.
24:54Like you say, look, he didn't solve all the problems.
24:56Yeah.
24:57You know, I'm, I'm still not happy about the long kang, but I know he tried his best.
25:01Yeah.
25:02And you know, uh, there was this one time we needed him and he came through in the middle
25:05of the night or, you know, uh, you know.
25:08Right.
25:09Because you just mentioned a great story about from the time that you were a musician.
25:12Yeah.
25:13Do you have a similar story now from what you've done so far?
25:16Someone who, whose life that, or is that a story that's waiting?
25:19No, I think it's waiting la.
25:20Yeah.
25:21It's waiting.
25:22Yeah.
25:23Because sometimes it's not, it's not the presence of a thing.
25:25It's the absence of a thing.
25:27Hmm.
25:28Your friends who've seen you grow up.
25:30Right.
25:31Okay.
25:32Who've been with you a long way.
25:33Are they still your friends now?
25:34Are they people that have followed you through your life to this point?
25:37There's a couple of people la.
25:38Right.
25:39Not, not that many, but there's a couple of people.
25:41Okay.
25:42Yeah.
25:43What would they say about, if I asked them, what were their thoughts of, of ultimate
25:47and now YB side, I might, I have to check and make sure I'm saying your, I know, I call
25:53you ultimate all the time.
25:54They're going to say he's nuts.
25:55They're going to say he's nuts, but it's expected.
25:57We know he's going to do something nuts, nuts like this.
26:00Hmm.
26:01Were they surprised?
26:02No, not really.
26:03I think we know the, you, this one, you know, we know you're going to do something nuts,
26:07but I'm mild surprised that he's in, he's in leadership or being in public service.
26:13Hmm.
26:14But when you think about it, you know, you, we know you're going to do, you, you know,
26:18you know, you have your reasons and you, we know it's going to be something that, that
26:23for us be like, you know.
26:25Yeah.
26:26I'm pretty sure that they'd be proud of you.
26:28Like.
26:29I hope so.
26:30Yeah.
26:31I hope so.
26:32And speaking of things that can be made proud of, right.
26:35You've done things already, many things, even as YB now.
26:38Yeah.
26:39What is the thing that you are most proud of that you've done as YB so far?
26:44Nothing yet.
26:45Hmm.
26:46Hmm.
26:47Nothing truly, you know, because, because, uh, what we've been focused on, uh, in, in
26:53Lembah Jaya for the first year, now it's coming up to one and a half years, is bread and
26:57butter stuff.
26:58Hmm.
26:59You know, bread and butter stuff.
27:00There, there's a lot of, there's not a lot lah.
27:03There are, uh, some things left, uh, unresolved by the previous, uh, wakil rakyat that we
27:11want to sort out first before we think about anything more.
27:14It's basic stuff.
27:15Right.
27:16Housekeeping.
27:17Housekeeping.
27:18We are doing housekeeping.
27:19We are doing, there's not a lot lah.
27:20There is, there are welfare cases.
27:22There are basic infrastructure, bread and butter issues.
27:24We say we want to tackle that first and then let's figure out, you know, a higher, uh,
27:31higher objective.
27:32Right.
27:33That's something to be proud of.
27:34A bit more abstract.
27:35Now it's, now it's not so, so, so abstract stuff.
27:38Right.
27:39Now it's just like, okay, mana pothole, let's time get that done.
27:43Uh, let's build a working, a good working relationship with the district office, with
27:47the local council and PAJ.
27:49Uh, so it's that.
27:50Hmm.
27:51Yeah.
27:52No secret politics is demanding.
27:54Yeah.
27:55How do you find that balance between being there for the people and then being there
28:00for your family?
28:01Okay.
28:02I think you need to manage your time.
28:04Hmm.
28:05You know, uh, one of, one of the things that I learned relatively late in my music career
28:12was managing my time.
28:13It wasn't very fair to my family, you know, so I'm trying to fix that now.
28:17And the way I see it for, for sometimes for politicians, not leaders, for politicians,
28:23they tend to, uh, do things last minute.
28:26So when it's election year, they, you know, uh, so for me is that why, why are you sprinting
28:32when you spend, uh, you know, it's like the tortoise and the hare.
28:35I want to be the tortoise.
28:36I want to look every day, every, every day or every week.
28:39I'm putting in X amount.
28:41I'm put, I'm having X amount of meetings, X amount of hours.
28:44So I can have a better work life balance.
28:47Right.
28:48But there will be times where it's thrown out the window.
28:51If there, if something happened, you know, like again, if it's a flood, that's it, you
28:55know, my family is not going to see me for a few days, you know, but so far, so far,
28:59I've tried quite hard to, to, to have a good work life balance.
29:03We asked you earlier on, right?
29:04Yeah.
29:05Um, about the Teh Tarikru.
29:06We know that that's not going to happen.
29:08That there's no reason.
29:09Right.
29:10Do you foresee a future where you can do both?
29:14You can do this, what you're doing now as, as YB, but also have a music career.
29:19I think it will be difficult because, uh, your critics will say you are not serious about
29:26leadership and you know, you still have one foot in your previous career.
29:30Number one.
29:31Number two, uh, as far as being, as far as performing, I really have no, I don't miss
29:36it.
29:37Ah.
29:38Yeah.
29:39This is your new thing now.
29:40Yeah.
29:41This is your new passion.
29:42I miss writing songs.
29:43I miss, actually, I miss having more time to write songs.
29:46Yes.
29:47But I don't miss performing.
29:48I took, uh, there was a music festival a few years ago.
29:51My son, I took my son.
29:53Uh, he did very well in his exams.
29:55So my wife said, hey, he wants to go to this festival.
29:58Take him lah.
29:59Yeah.
30:00So I told him, yeah, yeah.
30:01Okay.
30:02I'll take you, but only if I get backstage pass.
30:04Okay.
30:05I call Joe.
30:06I said, Joe, can you hook me up or not?
30:09Joe, please.
30:10I said, bro, I take my kid.
30:12My kid wants to come, you know, can you get, I say, can I bro, I'll give you two backstage
30:16pass.
30:17Yeah.
30:18I'm watching my friends perform, you know, and I didn't feel like I miss it at all.
30:22Yeah.
30:23That's a reflection of how much you enjoy what you're doing now.
30:25Right.
30:26Is that what it is?
30:27I think it's a reflection of, uh, how much I let go, you know, because, uh, the second
30:32half of my music career, I really took performing as a job because I separated.
30:37I'm like, look, what's your passion?
30:38What would you do for free?
30:39I will write songs all day for free.
30:41Right.
30:42But if you want me to put on a show, I will, you have to pay me.
30:45So for me, it's a job, you know, you, if I left the job.
30:49So I think that was the, that's the, was kind of going on in my head.
30:53Yeah.
30:54You know, but I didn't miss it at all, man.
30:55So I went home and thought about it.
30:57I said, no, I don't miss it at all.
30:58Right.
30:59Yeah.
31:00You know, as someone who actually did that transition, you transitioned from the music
31:04world into politics now and you're engaged in politics very much.
31:09So, but there are many people, Malaysians generally speaking, who are so busy with their own
31:13lives that they, they don't even pay as much attention to what's happening politically as
31:19they should, to be as involved as they should.
31:22How do you think Malaysian politics can better engage and represent the aspirations of Malaysians?
31:29How can we, how can we, I'm not in politics, but how can like Malaysian politicians actually get regular Malaysians to be more involved?
31:37Cause you are one of the people who got involved so far that you actually became.
31:46I think, I think you need to be, I think you need to, to define what politics is.
31:51You know, a lot of people based on their experience or their perception, they, they, they, when it passes through their lens, you know, it becomes a quite a negative word.
32:02I don't believe there are any negative words.
32:04I believe words are neutral.
32:05You can make it positive or you can make it negative.
32:07negative.
32:08And then I applied what I learned from music.
32:10You know, yes, I make music, but I'm in the music industry.
32:15You know, there's a passion, there's a job.
32:17Right.
32:18In this world.
32:19I mean, now I believe that they are leaders and they are politicians.
32:22It's not mutually inclusive.
32:23It's not mutually exclusive.
32:25Right.
32:26Right now.
32:27I don't see myself as a politician.
32:28I see myself as a worker.
32:29During the campaign period, I have to be a politician.
32:32Right.
32:33You know, so, so sometimes you, you being in this position, I think you need to put politics aside.
32:38One, one of the big things, I think the number one thing that turn people off to what's going on in the country is because there's too much of this politicking going on.
32:49Like turning issues into things.
32:51Turning issues into maneuvering, you know, and things like that, you know, and, and, and just being partisan about your politics, you know, because there are some things that, you know,
33:01it is, it's not a matter of partisanship.
33:03It's not a matter you're for and against.
33:05Right.
33:06You know, you can't be against it just to be against it.
33:08Right.
33:09You know, so I think we need to get that across.
33:14Right.
33:15And also we need to split people into people who are politically ignorant, people who are politically aware, and people who are politically active.
33:25Right.
33:26I think it's three different types of people.
33:28And engage with them differently?
33:30I think you need to engage with them differently.
33:32Oh, interesting.
33:33Yeah.
33:34You have a unique position of being a person or a YB who has a very large, young audience.
33:40A lot of people who follow you, who are your fans and your constituents actually are very young.
33:46Yeah.
33:47What is the, based on your experience, what do young people feel about the state of politics now?
33:54I think not a lot of them are politically aware.
33:57You know, they're not politically aware.
33:59They're aware of issues that have been politicized.
34:02Yes.
34:03You know, but they're not really aware.
34:05There is some apathy, there is some also negative feelings towards it, you know, because of certain politicians, a large number of politicians actually.
34:17And it needs to change.
34:18It needs to change.
34:19It needs to change.
34:20I said, look, you guys don't have to be politically active, but you need to be politically aware.
34:24You know, I said, theoretically, what is happening today with the, where the nation is headed, its leadership, its politics will affect you longer than it will affect me.
34:38I'm due to die before you guys, you know, again, I'm going to leave this, if it's a ship called Malaysia, I'm going to disembark before you guys, theoretically, unless something out of the ordinary happens.
34:51Yeah.
34:52And do you feel that they're thinking enough?
34:55They are in a process of thinking, you know, I mean, I mean, if you're, if you're in, I think you are always developing your principles, your personality and stuff like that.
35:06You know, but of course, it's like a painting, you know, the younger you are, the more space you have to paint to fill in with colours.
35:15Yeah.
35:16You know, the, the, the, the, the more mature you are, the less you have, you have to, you have to fill in.
35:21So they are at the point where, you know, they, they are willing to try, they are willing to change.
35:26Right.
35:27Right.
35:28What do your children think of dad, of what do your, what do your kids call you?
35:33Ayah?
35:34Baba.
35:35Okay.
35:36What, what do your kids think about YB ultimate?
35:39I'm not ultimate back home.
35:41I'm not YB back home.
35:42Just, I'm not ultimate.
35:43No, I don't.
35:44And that's a success in itself, actually.
35:46Yeah.
35:47I keep it separated.
35:48I keep it separated.
35:49But they are always free to talk to me about it.
35:51Right.
35:52You know, we talk about some other stuff.
35:53We talk about economics, economy.
35:56We talk about, you know, world issues, national issues.
35:59You know, if they want to ask me, they can ask me.
36:01Right.
36:02And final question, or final long form question.
36:06Long form question.
36:07Is, if your children wanted to enter politics, when they grow up, what would you, what would
36:15you say to them?
36:16All the best.
36:17I'm not going to stop them.
36:19You know, I'm not going to stop them.
36:21But I can, if I were to disagree, it depends on, you know, my situation at the time.
36:28It also depends on the individual that I want to enter.
36:31Any, any individual, not even my children.
36:33You know, I would say I can agree or can disagree, but you make your own decision and make sure
36:38you enter with your eyes open.
36:39You know, you enter with as much, you make as informed a decision as possible and you
36:45enter with your eyes open.
36:46Did it surprise you?
36:47Did your position surprise you when, when you now, now having been in this position for
36:53as long as you have, did it surprise you or was it exactly what you thought it was going
36:58to be?
36:59I know there's something that you can, you only encounter once you're there, once you
37:01dive in, you know, so no, not really.
37:06No, nothing in particular.
37:07I knew there were things that they will reveal itself or challenges that will reveal itself
37:11eventually.
37:12Expand the unexpected.
37:13Yeah.
37:14Yeah.
37:15Right.
37:16So now the final part is we've got rapid fire questions for you.
37:19Okay.
37:20Okay.
37:21So you have to answer as quickly as possible.
37:23Okay.
37:24And I have to ask as quickly as possible also.
37:26Right, Shock Team?
37:27Okay.
37:28I'm going to do this.
37:29Okay.
37:30Ready?
37:31Okay.
37:32YB Ultimate.
37:33Here we go.
37:34Favorite rap verse you've ever written.
37:35What is it?
37:3616 baris.
37:37Okay.
37:38What's the verse?
37:39And we've got a mini performance here.
37:43Okay.
37:44Just for you guys.
37:45If you could perform on stage again with any stage, which stage would it be?
37:49Which stage would it be?
37:50Either Auditorium DBKL or Petronas Philharmonic.
37:54What's the biggest misconception people have about you as a politician?
37:57I think generally it's because he's an entertainer, he's a star, kononnya celebrity,
38:02he's sombong.
38:03Okay.
38:04Then another one is, not to get too sensitive about it, it's because he used to be a performer,
38:10he doesn't pray five times a day.
38:12Hmm.
38:13Misconception.
38:14Misconception.
38:15Right, you heard it earlier.
38:16Okay.
38:17Who would it be?
38:18Miyamoto Musashi, Marcus Aurelius, and Moses.
38:22Moses?
38:23Yeah.
38:24That's a surprise.
38:25Yeah.
38:26Okay.
38:27What's harder, dropping a hit single or winning an election?
38:29I think it's apples and oranges, both are hard.
38:32Hmm.
38:33If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
38:37Don't blame yourself.
38:38Oh.
38:39Think better of yourself.
38:41Hmm.
38:42And I think that's something that we can all learn from.
38:44Yeah.
38:45That's great advice for everyone.
38:46Yeah.
38:47If you had the opportunity to make one change as Prime Minister of Malaysia for a day, what
38:55would it be and why?
38:57One day only.
38:58Then I chart.
38:59One day.
39:00Yeah.
39:01So you won't be blamed after.
39:02That's very important.
39:03Yeah.
39:04One day.
39:05For one day.
39:06For one day only.
39:07Yeah.
39:08I would remove petrol subsidies, fuel subsidies, and I would shift all that money towards healthcare
39:16and education.
39:17Wow.
39:18So we subsidize quite a number of things.
39:22Food, fuel, four things, four major things.
39:25Food, fuel, education, and healthcare.
39:27Right.
39:28The last, the last, the ones that I would defend and I would die, die don't want to remove is
39:34health and education subsidy.
39:36Right.
39:37I mean state, but the issue that concerns me is stunting in urban kids.
39:42Right.
39:43Right.
39:44Right.
39:45Right.
39:46Just simply because they're not getting enough.
39:48Yes.
39:49We will.
39:50I worry that we will have a generation, which is my children's generation, whereby your
39:58physical height will give an indication of your social class.
40:03Oh, I feel that quite personally.
40:05No, no, no.
40:06It's different now.
40:07No, no.
40:08It's different.
40:09We're talking about serious stunting.
40:10I think you guys should Google it and look at stunting among the urban poor.
40:14And it's a legit issue that's getting more.
40:17It is a legit, it is a legit issue.
40:19Right.
40:20It is a legit issue.
40:21Which is why you definitely want something to be done about it and as soon as possible.
40:25Yes.
40:26Wow.
40:27Something to think about and sending us on a Google search after this program.
40:31I remember the brown and white boxes.
40:33Yes.
40:34The packs of six.
40:35I remember.
40:37No.
40:38No.
40:39It's us.
40:40It's just us.
40:41Sometimes your luck is not good.
40:44You get susu basi.
40:45Always.
40:46If you order a pack, that's one.
40:48You just have to be ready for it.
40:49Why is this milk slightly sweeter than the rest in a strange way?
40:54Thank you for this walk through the future and also down memory lane.
40:58It's been awesome.
40:59Thank you YB.
41:01Thank you so much.
41:04Bye.
41:05Bye.
41:06Bye.
41:07Bye.
41:08Bye.
41:09Bye.
41:10Bye.
41:11Bye.