Anti-Taib feelings dog BN candidates
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider
KUCHING, April 6 — While Barisan Nasional’s (BN) top leaders in Sarawak have openly defended Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s succession plans, the coalition’s candidates are secretly concerned the chief minister’s decision to stay may cost them vital votes in the April 16 election.
When met at the Kuching South City Hall building here where the nomination centres for the Pending, Padungan and Batu Lintang were located, some BN leaders admitted privately to The Malaysian Insider that the country’s longest serving chief minister could very well be the cause if BN loses its grip over the hornbill state.
“Perhaps if we said that we too want him out… would that work? Then again it would be hard because Taib is BN and BN is Taib… It is not like he has not done anything but the spread of allegations against him could be harsh for BN,” said one BN leader from peninsular.
When pointed out that many leaders were doubtful of Taib’s sincerity in stepping down shortly after the polls, the leader nodded in agreement.
“True… there was supposed to be a proper succession plan but it looks like there is none,” said the leader.
Taib spoke of his succession plans last month, saying that he would lead the BN to victory during the April 16 polls and hand over the reigns as chief minister in the middle of his next term, possibly during the second year.
Taib also said he would contest again in his Balingian seat for the state elections and lead BN as he wanted “to ensure a smooth election” and “allow new blood” to come up.
Many opposition leaders, however, questioned the sincerity of Taib’s plan, and predicted that the veteran leader would likely cling on to his post, which he has held for three decades now.
Previously, when Taib spoke of his retirement in 2006, he had mentioned three potential successors — Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Datuk Seri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg and Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi.
But things have now changed and media reports are now pointing to Deputy President I Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, Deputy President II Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and Senior Vice-President Datuk Seri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan as the leader’s potential successors.
At the Kuching South City Hall today, BN’s candidates for Pending, Padungan and Batu Lintang were approached and asked for their opinions on Taib.
BN candidate for Batu Lintang Sih Hua Tong acknowledged the growing wave of discontent spreading across Sarawak against Taib but was careful not to offend the leader.
Sih, from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), said Taib’s succession plan was already in place and this could BN convince its anti-Taib supporters to stay with the ruling coalition.
“The CM has announced his succession plan… his retirement plans. Let the BN make sure that this whole thing is in place,” he said.
When asked if he believed that the succession plan would help BN retain its voter support, he nodded in agreement.
“But having said that, as far as the allegations against him goes… we have a proper legal system.
“Everyone has to be given the right to defend himself. Any allegation must be substantiated by concrete evidence,” he said.
Sih said that the new batch of leaders fielded under BN in the Sarawak polls represented the new and younger generation.
“We are a generation that will fight all out against corruption. We want to defend our country from corruption,” he said.
Taib is being dogged by countless allegations of corruption and abuse of power.
