KUCHING, Feb 21: Former Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, according to local opposition party Parti Bumi Kenyalang, is seen as “a shrewd master tactician in politics and was able to tame his political foes”.
To PBK president Voon Lee Shan, Taib, who was Sarawak Chief Minister and president of Parti Persaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBBB) for 33 years, was a politician who could bring those who opposed him to work with him and be part of his government.
“The failed Ming Court Affairs in 1987 was a coup by his political foes to bring him and his government down, but this coup helped him to identify who were his foes and friends whom he could work with.
“Being able to identify who his foes were, helped Tun Taib (able) to consolidate his power with the help of those who were loyal and could be trusted by him,” said Voon in a statement today.
Voon acknowledged that Taib as a chief minister was able to implement major projects that brought development to Sarawak through his ‘Politics of Development’ philosophy, which also formed the basis a four-prong policy best accentuated with an acronym of COME – change, opportunity, mobility, and equality, which had transformed Sarawak.
Despite so, Voon pointed out some of the controversies cropped up during Taib’s reign.
“Despite his Politics of Development, Sarawak still remains a backward State in Malaysia.
“Despite having the necessary natural resources, Sarawak has much to catch up with Malaya,” said Voon.
Taib, who served as Sarawak’s chief minister for over three decades and later Governor for almost a decade, passed away at the age of 87 earlier this morning at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. — DayakDaily
