I have known Dr Zaliha Mustafa for the past eighteen years long before titles, positions, and public scrutiny. Through all those years, one thing has never changed: who she is at her core.
Humble to the bone. Soft-spoken, yet firm. Calm, but unshakeably determined.
She is not loud. She does not seek attention or command the spotlight. Yet when decisions must be made especially difficult ones she is fearless. Her courage is quiet, but formidable.
Dr Zaliha is a rare political leader who understands that authority does not require volume, and power does not need theatrics. Her determination is steady, not impulsive.
Her fearlessness does not come from bravado, but from a deep willingness to do what is right even when it is difficult, unpopular, or personally risky.
Although she is a politician, her decision-making has always been profoundly professional almost clinical in its discipline. Issues are assessed on merit, impact, and public interest, not political convenience. She consistently places people before politics, principle before popularity. In modern politics, that alone makes her an anomaly.
The Federal Territories especially Kuala Lumpur is not an easy portfolio. It is a city layered with legacy issues, entrenched interests, and long-standing sensitivities. Yet within just two years, problems that had festered for decades were finally confronted and addressed.
– Kampung Sungai Baru.
– The Masjid India temple issue.
– Reforms to Kuala Lumpur’s redevelopment policies.
– The dismantling of Ramadan bazaar cartels.
– Efforts to curb foreign trader dominance and illegal activities.
These were not new problems. They existed long before her tenure. But many before her chose the safer route smooth journeys instead of difficult decisions. Touching ultra-sensitive issues requires more than authority. It requires moral courage.
Dr Zaliha had that courage.
There were moments when even I advised her to step back. I told her, “YB, tak perlu sentuh isu ini. Bahaya.”
She would respond calmly, without hesitation:
“I am here to serve the people by doing the right thing. I am not afraid, Mala. Allah will protect me.”
When she announced the Kuala Lumpur Strike Force, the pressure intensified. Threats came. The weight was heavy. Yet she never wavered. Not once did she retreat.
As a younger politician, I learned immensely from her. By nature, I am more vocal, more authoritative. Dr Zaliha taught me the power of emotional intelligence and consultative leadership. She showed me that listening is not weakness and that empathy strengthens leadership rather than diluting it.
I was often in awe of how she handled Parliamentary answers. While many treat Parliament as a stage for political combat, Dr Zaliha treated it with the respect it deserves.
When drafting replies, we sometimes suggested taking a political angle highlighting opposition failures during their time in power. She consistently refused, unless it was absolutely necessary.
Her focus was always on facts, governance, and accountability. Because of that professionalism, she commanded genuine respect, even from opposition leaders. I have personally seen Members of Parliament call her to thank her for not attacking them publicly.
There were moments when I found myself thinking, almost in disbelief, that such a politician still exists in this century.
It was no coincidence that during the first Cabinet reshuffle, the Prime Minister personally handpicked her to lead the Federal Territories. He needed someone with the highest level of integrity to confront corruption within DBKL and the Federal Territories administration. Dr Zaliha was the obvious choice.
Her record at the Health Ministry speaks for itself. She stood firm against tobacco companies and powerful corporate interests to defend the anti-tobacco bill and the Generational End Game policy. At one point, she was offered RM50 million to drop the bill. She rejected it outright and asked them to leave. I am a living witness to that moment.
Another quality I deeply admire in Dr Zaliha is her loyalty and discipline within the party.
For more than two decades, PKR has endured turbulent phases internal divisions, political setbacks, and the highs and lows of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s long journey. Many wavered. Some left. Others faltered.
Dr Zaliha remained steady.
She worked quietly behind the scenes, strengthening the party when it was at its weakest. Her loyalty has never been transactional. It has never been about positions or recognition. It is principled, consistent, and disciplined. From her, I learned that loyalty is not tested during success, but during the hardest times.
Dr Zaliha is also a teacher and mentor. Many leaders in KEADILAN today, myself included, were shaped by her through Akademi Keadilan. She did not just teach politics she taught values, ethics, and responsibility through action.
When the Prime Minister called to inform her that she would be dropped from the Cabinet, she smiled. I was beside her at that moment. She simply said, “I accept your decision, Sir.”
She did not ask for an explanation.
Later, she told us that the Prime Minister had many considerations and saw the bigger picture. Government stability, she said, was more important than any individual.
That is who she is.
Dr Zaliha practises what she preaches a silent warrior who never seeks credit for her achievements, even though history will one day record them.
I am proud to say that I was trained by her. Proud to have served under her leadership for three years. And proud to have witnessed, up close, what integrity in public service truly looks like.
In an era where noise often replaces substance, Dr Zaliha remains steady, principled, and unwavering.
And for that, she will always have my deepest respect.
Former Political Secretary to the Minister of Federal Territories
KEADILAN
