Family feud rears its ugly head
Old wounds have reopened in Sarawak as the election fever rises.
Thus, the 10th state election is considered to be Taib’s toughest as he is the target of the opposition as well as the Independents. But the main threat comes from family members who know his secrets in and out.
Zainal Epi, Free Malaysia Today
The Sarawak state election has rekindled an old family feud dating back to the 1980s between uncle Abdul Rahman Yaacub and nephew Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Abdul Rahman, the former chief minister, is said to be seeking revenge against Taib, the current chief minister.
And with cousin Salleh Jafaruddin contesting against Taib in Balingian, the “old wounds” have reopened and the stage is set for a “ugly scene.”
Another of Taib’s cousin, Dayang Juliana Tamby, who is contesting under the Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) ticket, is also joining Salleh to “strip Taib naked” with their intimate information of the chief minister.
Jumping on the “hate Taib” bandwagon are other Independents who have been axed from Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) when Taib took over as president and chief minister.
Salleh, Taib’s second cousin and once tipped to take over PBB, fell out of favour in the 1980s when he became involved in a plot to topple Taib in the well-known “Ming Court” affair.
Since then, Salleh and other PBB leaders have become Taib’s sworn enemies.
Also pitted against Taib is Dayang Juliana who is contesting in Bekenu, Miri. Her husband is Ahmad Bahari Abdul Rahman who was a former Selayang MP in the 1990s.
Proxy war
Several others who are lying low but contesting as Independents are said to be teaming up with the two cousins, all considered as proxies of Abdul Rahman, as they waged their campaign to oust Taib.
The enmity in the Taib family goes to 1986 when a plot called the “Ming Court affair” was hatched to topple Taib. The mastermind was Abdul Rahman who was then the governor of Sarawak. The coup failed.
Following the failed attempt, Rahman’s followers including Salleh, Bujang Ulis and several PBB leaders were purged from the party.
Thus, the 10th state election is considered to be Taib’s toughest as he is the target of the opposition as well as the Independents. But the main threat comes from family members who know his secrets in and out.
