![\"http:\/\/buletinonline.net\/images\/stories\/aberita19\/raja%20bahrin.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/buletinonline.net\/v7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/raja%20bahrin.png\")
KUALA TERENGGANU – Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, the Terengganu royal who smuggled his children on a boat from Australia in 1992, believes the extremely stressful period helped build his character.<\/p>\nKUALA TERENGGANU – Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, the Terengganu royal who smuggled his children on a boat from Australia in 1992, believes the extremely stressful period helped build his character.<\/p>\n
The 58-year-old prince had fought to bring his children back to Malaysia after their mother Jacqueline Gillespie spirited them to Australia in 1985.<\/p>\n
During the eight-year custody battle that followed, he steadily saw his rights being eroded each time he went to visit his children.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey took away my credit cards and gave me limited access to them. The final straw was a court order in 1991 which prohibited me from bringing them to the mosque,\u201d he told The Star.<\/p>\n
Helpless to fight the system there, he was finally forced to smuggle his children back to Malaysia in a speedboat, with the help of a friend.<\/p>\n
Today, Raja Bahrin, as he is commonly known, draws inspiration from the experience as he ventures into political waters for the first time.<\/p>\n
The prominent architect is PAS’ Kuala Terengganu parliamentary candidate for GE13 and he confesses he is relishing this exhausting but exciting new journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I went through made me a strong and resilient person. I was up against an entire system, not an individual. If I could survive that, I’m sure that I can do it here,\u201d he said, adding that he also drew on his knowledge as an architect.<\/p>\n
Raja Bahrin said he had been reluctantly drawn into politics and prefers to call himself an \u201cactivist-cum-politician\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said he would focus on championing social issues in Terengganu, something he feels has been neglected in favour of development.<\/p>\n
One of the key turning points that led him to join politics was the tearing down of the Ladang Tok Pelam craftsman village last year.<\/p>\n
The village used to house brass makers, silver and goldsmiths, keris and batik makers, but the area has now been levelled to make way for development.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat cities have always kept their heritage. As an architect, I acknowledge the need for new buildings but not at the expense of the people’s heritage and way of life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Raja Bahrin, a founding member of the Malaysian Heritage Trust, said there was no point in labelling Kuala Terengganu a heritage waterfront city when only cosmetic changes were taking place.<\/p>\n
He said the issues he would address if he wins include better amenities, public transportation, traffic management and more public parking. – The Star Online<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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