Tengku Zafrul Aziz is rarely seen without his signature gleaming white smile and well-tailored suit over a trim physique and flat tummy, evidence of a strict exercise regimen.
Malaysia’s minister of investment, trade and industry jokes that he is often mistaken for a Singaporean politician when abroad, perhaps because of his lean appearance and – this part is unspoken – his technocratic background. But there is one difference: “You can ask me anything on stage and I’ll try to answer.”
Despite this promise, Zafrul remains one of Malaysia’s more enigmatic politicians. In just five years, he has emerged from relative obscurity as a banker to occupy one of the most coveted positions in the Malaysian cabinet.
Handed the job of finance minister in 2020, he became the first not to be popularly elected but appointed as a senator. He is also the only cabinet minister to have worked under the last three prime ministers – Muhyiddin Yassin, Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Anwar Ibrahim – rivals from different parties. This led a blogger to ask, “Why does every PM want Tengku Zafrul?” and call him “hot property”.
Zafrul attempted to secure a parliamentary seat in 2022 but lost in Kuala Selangor by 1,002 votes. With his senatorship ending next week, he will vacate his ministerial post just past midway through the current government’s term in office. Speaking to This Week in Asia during a recent visit to Hong Kong for a closed-door Family Business Summit held by the South China Morning Post and Bluepool Capital, Zafrul was coy about his next moves.
But at a youthful 52 – Prime Minister Anwar is 78 – he is likely to be a fixture of Malaysia’s politics for years to come. He has already shown his versatility, serving different parties and in different roles, prompting observers to describe him as “amphibious”.
