Mazlan Ismail

Dr Mazlan is a Malaysian corporate-turned-politician figure in Malaysia. He is well known for contesting in the 13th Malaysian General Election in the Permatang Pauh constituency P44, a parliament within the state of Pulau Pinang.^[1][2][3] He lost to the renowned Chief Opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim with a majority of 11,721 votes. Despite the lost, he garnered 25,369 votes from the Permatang Pauh constituents for the UMNO-Barisan Nasional coalition party, an increase of 9,845 (64%) votes from the previously held by-election in 2008.^[4][5]

Background

Dr Mazlan Ismail was born in Kubang Ulu, Penanti, Bukit Mertajam within the parliamentary constituent he contested to Puan bt Hamid and Allahyarham Ismail b Daud (better known as Pak Mail bas). Born in a poor family of whom both parents work as rubber-tapers, and the father drives school buses too in the morning, he was set to change the family’s fate. He is known to the locals as Abang Lan Telekom, due to his occupation as a government servant while working in Jabatan Telekom (later privatised into Telekom Malaysia). Upon completion of his primary school locally, he continued his study in a boarding school named Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Abdul Halim in Jitra, Kedah (back then known as JENAN and now as SMSAH). Later, Mazlan went to University Technology Malaysia (UTM) in 1978 -1981 to study Diploma in Electronic Communications and furthered his first degree in University of Salford, United Kingdom in 1981 -1983 doing the same course. Mazlan then worked with Telekom Malaysia before being sponsored to further his study in Master’s degree in 1996, again in the United Kingdom in the University of Coventry specializing in Operational Telecommunication. In 2005 he received his doctorate degree (PhD) from the Business and Advance Technology Centre of University Technology Malaysia Kuala Lumpur. Further training includes training in Strategic Planning and Implementation of Telecommunication in Bell South Telecom, Florida, United States (1990), Training Innovation & Leadership in Motorola University, Schaumrbeg, United States (1995), Leadership Training in Madinah Insitute of Leadership and Entrepeneruship, Madinah, Saudi Arabia (2012) and others.

Tenure in Telekom Malaysia

Dr Mazlan worked for 30 years as an engineer in Telekom Malaysia, holding various posts, from Assistant Manager in Butterworth, Penang to General Manager for Northern Region of Malaysia, and settled into senior management post as Vice President of National Network Operation (VP NNO), in-charge for technical network operation (transmission, data, switching & access networks) throughout Malaysia. The job scope is in-charge of around 320 executives, 7000 TM members and 5000 TM contractor members. He also being appointed as a senior management TM’s Group Leadership Team members chaired by TM’s CEO.^[6][7]

Dr Mazlan was appointed as Commanding Officer, ranked Lt Colonel of Rejimen Semboyan Pakar Diraja Telekom.^[8][9] Pakar Semboyan or Askar Wataniah Pakar Telekom with 700 Telekom Malaysia’s staff reserves is responsible for the telecommunication service operation during times such as in DARURAT or declaration of emergency in Malaysia.^[10][11]

Political posts

Other consultation experiences

Advisory panel to Competency Development , Human Resource Department, Human Resource Ministry-Mac 2010 –Mac 2012 Electric, Electronics, Communication & Broadcasting sector specialist in, Communication and Information Department, Human Resource Ministry-Mac 2010 – Mac 2012 Fellow Adjunct Lecturer,Faculty of Technology Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia –Jan2006 –December2009 Co-writer of Malaysia Prime Minister’s book for the nation entitled “1 Malaysia Menjana Negara Sejahtera n Bahagia”- published in 2010 Chairman and Founder of Darul Wehdah Permatang Pauh a NGO which actively promotes Islamic learning and knowledge culture in Penang.

Disabled community’s voice in manifesto campaign

One of the most notable issues raised and became a manifesto of Dr Mazlan during the general election was the pledge to assist the needy particularly the disabled community in Malaysia. Inspired by his own eldest son whose an OKU (Orang Kelainan Upaya) with blind disability from birth, Dr Mazlan is set to bring up the disabled community’s voice into parliament if he was elected into it. Notable appearance of his son was when he prayed in public for his father’s victory in the election caught in video.^[14] Dr Mazlan was quoted saying that having had a personal experience in raising a disabled child, he empathise and understand more of the feeling and challenges faced by parents with similar situations.^[15] He promised to adopt three existing rehabilitative centres in the constituency, namely in Kampung Pertama, Seberang Jaya and Kampung Tanah Liat.

Social contribution

In the aftermath of the Malaysia’s 13th General Election where Dr Mazlan lost to the incumbent Anwar Ibrahim, he took the chance of his reputation by establishing a religious study centre for the local community.^[16][17] With the objective to unite the people regardless of political ideology, and where everyone can come and study Al Quran or hear religious sermons, Pusat Pengajian Darul Wehdah was set up in Simpang Tiga Kubang Ulu, aiming to hold programmes focusing on education, motivation, development issues and women. He criticized religious-schools that were used to incite hatred towards political enemies and these are detrimental to the people’s unity.^[18] The study centre has since organized various programmes especially the weekly sermons, Islamic event talks and others. Videos of the programmes held can be watched in Darul Wehdah’s youtube channel and facebook page.

Controversies

In August 2013, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP chairman Karpal Singh filed a police report in Tropicana Police Station ^[19] against Dr Mazlan for allegedly implicating him of bribing the judiciary and prosecution, as well as paying his lawyer an amount involving RM 50 million.^{[20][21][22][23]} Mazlan previously hold a press statement exposing that he received 6,000 anonymous letters alleging that Anwar paid his chief defence Karpal Singh the sum of money for legal fees and bribes to judges and prosecutors and called for an investigation.

Karpal sent a letter of demand of apology to Mazlan or he would face defamation suits.^[24][25][26] Finally the case was sine die and Dr Mazlan was never called to court with the death of Karpal Singh in a car accident in April 2014.^[27]

References