IT is one shock after another for Bersatu women’s wing (Srikandi) chief Rina Harun.

Little known outside of Umno where she was active in the Puteri wing before joining Bersatu, she now has not only wrested the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat in a shocking defeat of its Barisan Nasional incumbent, but she is now also rural development minister.

Rina said she was daunted by the huge task to lead a ministry that was important in the country’s development, adding it was the last thing she expected.

“I am shocked with the trust that the prime minister has given to me and am thankful to Allah for his blessings.

“God willing, I will ensure a good master plan for this ministry so that it achieves all its objectives,” she said in a reaction to the appointment.

Rina, 44 was named to the post in Pakatan Harapan’s cabinet by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.

The Wanita PH deputy chief with a tertiary education in banking and finance and career experience in banking, consultancy and entrepreneurship said she was still reeling from the shock of her win in Titiwangsa, a BN seat in the federal territories that has always been held by the BN save for one term when it went to PAS.

“I am not that well-known in Titiwangsa compared with the BN and PAS candidates,” she said.

Her challenger, incumbent Johari Abdul Ghani, was the second finance minister and well liked in the urban constituency. Rina also had to face a three-cornered fight with a PAS candidate.

She won by 4,139 votes over Johari.

But Rina rode the wave of anger against BN over corruption involving its top leaders and the rising cost of living.

She said she campaigned hard, holding face-to-face sessions with voters to explain PH’s goals.

“I knocked on door after door. Even went up to flats on the 16th floor.”

Since winning the seat, Rina has been holding town-hall sessions to hear residents’ concerns in Keramat, Pandan and Kg Baru which are in her constituency.

She said she was aware that people were still uncertain about a PH government and urged them to give the coalition a chance.

She joined Umno in 2012 and held posts, such as Sepang Puteri Umno head, Selangor Puteri Umno vice-chief and Puteri Umno exco member before quitting to join Bersatu.

“We need everyone’s support because we have an important task ahead of us.”

She also urged the people to look at the PH leadership, adding that it was because of the 92-year-old Dr Mahathir and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin that she was convinced to leave Umno and join Bersatu.

“I believe they truly work for the people.” – May 19, 2018.