The Merdeka Embrace - Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- It was perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the Merdeka Day 2005 celebrations -- the warm embrace exchanged between International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The minister and Dr Mahathir, who is Proton adviser, had recently traded remarks pertaining to the controversy surrounding the approved permit (AP) issue.

The fleeting moment in front of the VVIP stage was witnessed by several Cabinet ministers who were milling about as Dr Mahathir and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, were about to leave after the parade at Dataran Putrajaya on the Boulevard here Wednesday.

Nobody knew exactly what was said by Rafidah and Dr Mahathir, but the minister was seen to be in tears as she hugged the former prime minister, who looked calm throughout the episode.

Rafidah also gave Dr Siti Hasmah a warm hug before taking out a piece of tissue paper to wipe away the tears and accompanied the former First Couple to their car.

Efforts to get comments from Dr Mahathir and Rafidah were unsuccessful but several photographers managed to capture the "Merdeka" embrace.

Dr Mahathir had in May questioned the issuance of APs, saying that it was hurting national car Proton, and asked for the list of AP holders to be made public.

Rafidah responded then that disclosing the names had never been government policy, even during Dr Mahathir's time. But she disclosed that one of his sons too had been a recipient of APs.

Many parties asked Rafidah to apologise to Dr Mahathir for making what they felt were hurtful and disrespectful remarks against him, as she came under fire at the Umno general assembly in July over her handling of the AP issue.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=153063]