KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 ― Damansara MP Tony Pua said he aimed to become an artist once he leaves politics.

Speaking at the Cultural Economy Development Agency (Cendana) award ceremony at the Publika shopping gallery here today, Pua professed that his first love was for the arts and hoped to resume the activity in his later years.

"In my life i have three tiers of ambition. One is to make it as a businessman and get rich quick, then contribute socially and politically, which I think I have done reasonably well.

"Finally, I would like to return to my first love ― which is the arts ― once i retire,” he said.

Pua added that he has liked painting and drawing since he was young and said in jest that he hoped he would one day be featured by Cendana.

Cendana is an agency under the Finance Ministry and was launched in September 2017 by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to drive cultural and arts development in the country.