Malaysiakini
May 21, 2014

Social activist Marina Mahathir has commended Teluk Intan DAP by-election candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud ,saying she is a smart girl who can think.

“She can articulate. She can write. That’s three up over most politicians already,” she said in a Facebook posting.

Marina was commenting on Dyana’s response in an article to a comment made by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Razali Ibrahim, who had taken the Teluk Intan by-election DAP candidate’s to task over criticism on her alma mater and asking her why she did not criticise Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Commenting further on Facebook in reply to her followers, Marina said very few top politicians write their own speeches let alone articles.

“In any case, why are people against her because she is young?” she asked.

“(Prime minister) Najib Razak was 26 when he first became a minister. Dyana’s 27, and only vying for a parliamentary seat. We should have more young people for the fresh young ideas they bring,” she commented further.

Not joining any political party

Marina, further laughed off suggestions of her joining a political party unlike her father who was Umno president and prime minister for 22 years.

In her posting she said apparently someone said she’d joined DAP.

“All I can say is…..hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! Funniest thing I’ve heard in ages,” she said.

Referring to Dyana mother Yammy Samat’s statement in response to Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement, Marina thinks that someone had misread what Yammy had said.

“No folks, I’m not joining any political parties. It’s not the only way to serve the country. And I really don’t want have to talk politics all the time….sometimes I just wanna talk tennis…French Open coming up!” she exclaimed.

Yammy had yesterday said that she tried raising Dyana to be like Mukhriz but her daughter ended up being like Marina instead.

Marina who also contributes a column in an English daily, further said no political party had offered her membership.

“I think it’s quite telling that not a single party has ever asked me to join. They take one look at me and think “oh no, she’s a difficult one” and go off and do something else…”