KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Former Temerloh MP and ex-deputy Higher Education minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah wants a Malaysia that is no longer obsessed with race. Not so unusual really as he is known for his liberal views.

It is a view that is a double-edged sword: He paid a high price for it politically, losing both the Parliament seat and Umno Supreme Council spot, but at the same time he is immensely popular with Malaysians who share his moderate views.

Today he is CEO of the Global Movement of Moderates which is under the patronage of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

But how exactly does Saifuddin plan to convince Malaysians to join in on his vision? He thinks the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), of which he is a member, is a good starting point even though many people perceive it as yet another toothless tiger which cannot make or influence policy decisions.

In his own words: