Taib’s quit talk ‘sandiwara’: The next Sarawak CM a woman?
By Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
Despite offering to relinquish his position, controversial Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is actually digging in and has begun drumming up support from his coalition mates to counter pressure from a federal government worried about his escalating corruption scandals.
There is also red-hot speculation that he has made up his mind to pick as his successor Tanjong Manis MP Norah Abdul Rahman, his cousin and the daughter of Taib’s predecessor Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub. If so, Norah would be both Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s first woman Chief Minister.
| Norah Abdul Rahman |
“Every other day, one of his colleagues comes out in the local media calling for him to stay. One day, it is James Maseng, another it is Alfred Jabu and so on. One of them even said there should be a Taib “clone” because he is irreplaceable,” PKR chief of Sarawak Baru Bian told Malaysia Chronicle.
“But the fact is Taib is not ready to leave yet. How can he when there is so much evidence piling against him for corruption and what-not, how would he dare to step down? On this basis, he won’t call for elections until all the bad news about him cools down. Even if he is gung-ho, Kuala Lumpur may object, although of course he may not listen to them.”
Corruption scandals
Indeed, the flamboyant white-haired Taib is known for his fabulous wealth. His huge trademark emerald ring and cream-colored Rolls Royce were once the symbols of the alleged corruption his critics used to attack him for.
| Baru Bian |
But these are nothing compared to the latest revelations from the Sarawak Report, an online magazine dedicated to exposing his misdeeds. Intricate details have been uncovered about his sprawling overseas business connections and where he has invested his wealth. Several large Sarawakian firms have also been pinpointed for gifting him with special deals such as a US$7 million mansion for only US$1.
Pictures of his palatial homes around the world, furnished even more luxuriously than many Royal households, have been posted on the website and are gawked at by Sarawakians and also Malaysians in the rest of the country.
For these reasons, Prime Minister Najib Razak may be keen for the 74-year old Taib to step. So far, despite the mounting evidence and long string of complaints lodged with the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the federal government has refused to investigate or take action against Taib.
“There is very little that Kuala Lumpur can do or dare to do against Taib. He has been Chief Minister for 29 years, so you can imagine how powerful he is. The most that Najib can try is to broker some sort of deal for Taib to step down but it may not satisfy the old man. Unless someone very close to him takes his place and protects him from any witch-hunt, he won’t take the chance,” Baru said.
