Within a few hours, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has demonstrated that his talk of stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister is so vague and elastic that he and he alone is the sole decider of what it means – and not even the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is prepared to cross his path.
Taib is in fact asking for a blank cheque to continue as Sarawak Chief Minister until he could groom a successor and “form a new team” to govern Sarawak – two tasks which may take him the entire term of the next government after he had dismally failed in the past 30 years to prepare for a succession.
When he announced in Serian yesterday morning that he will step down after the next Sarawak state polls, he spawned speculation whether he was talking of a timetable ranging from one to five years.
By the evening, at the Kuching International Airport, he had lengthened the timetable speculation from three to five years!
Although some media reported that Taib had committed himself to a timetable to hand over the chief ministership, it is clear that Taib did not make any such commitment yesterday.
Although Taib was specifically asked at the Kuching International Airport whether he would hand over to the new team at mid-term, Taib’s answer was anything but definitive and specific when he said: “Yes, if possible that is my plan. It was my intention, since 2006, to step down. But it did not work then, so I postponed it.” (Sunday Star)
Just as his plan to step down as Chief Minister from 2006 had not worked and he had to postpone it, his plan to step down as Chief Minister after the next elections whether at mid-term or later could similarly go awry for the whole duration of the next government “forcing” him again to postpone his retirement plan.
When in a matter of hours, Taib’s timetable to step down as Sarawak Chief Minister after the elections could be extended by some three years, it is clear that Taib is not stepping down any time soon.
Short of voting out Barisan Nasional in next general elections, the only way to ensure Taib steps down as Sarawak Chief Minister is to deny BN two-thirds majority in the Sarawak State Assembly.
#1 by yhsiew on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 12:27 pm
///Only way to ensure Taib steps down as Sarawak Chief Minister is to deny BN 2/3 majority in Sarawak State Assembly///
It is not going to be easy because Najib is turning every election into a buy-election. People can change their minds because of a mere RM50 or RM100 “gift”, or a free dinner with lucky draw. Najib just announced yesterday that some RM252.85 millions will be spent on infrastructure for Serian. I am afraid if this kind of corrupt practices is not halted, the electorate will eventually treat such practices as “election norms”.
Nevertheless, the oppostion can capitalize on the following issues to counter BN’s onslaught:
1. Taib’s unexplained wealth.
2. Defacement of the 30,000 and 5,100 imported Bibles printed in BM.
3. Violation of human rights, including religious discrimination, as reported by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
4. Lack of urgency on the government’s part in re-assessing the need to build nuclear power plants in Malaysia.
5. The rare earth processing plant in Pahang – money first, people’s health last.
#2 by k1980 on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 12:33 pm
In the 2006 Sarawak state election, DAP, PKR, PAS and SNAP contested and respectively won the following number of seats:
DAP contested 12, won 6
PKR contested 25, won 1
SNAP contested 28, won 1
PAS contested 1, did not win any.
Even if the white-haired rajahl’s face is stamped onto the bibles, the christians there would still vote for bn. Why? Because RM200 in the hand is worth nothing in the stomach.
#3 by k1980 on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 12:51 pm
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,751278,00.html
Any Mohamed Bouazizis in sarawak?
#4 by boh-liao on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 1:13 pm
No wonder rakyat accuse DAP a tribal Chinese party, not a multiracial party
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgiOsQey3-w
Y only English n Chinese? Y no BM, Tamil, Kadazan1? Not multilingual1? Sad lor
Pek moh grooming his son 2 take over d top post, so he can retire n enjoy wife, n not worry abt being subsequently prosecuted 4 mega corruption, sure win1
#5 by DAP man on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 1:59 pm
Taib cannot remain as CM if the other component BN parties withdraw their support for him.
It’s not that Taib wants to stay. It’s if the people still want to put him there.
#6 by Winston on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 4:20 pm
Uncle Lim, it’s not about denying the BN 2/3 majority!!
It’s about kicking out BN in the next GE!
Make that the opposition’s aim.
#7 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 4:22 pm
I don’t think Taib would ever go away even if forced to quit as CM. You can ensure that he will manouvre someone that will do all his bidding, and hence remain in power until his last breath. Keep in mind that there is no one, even if he is CM, that really can control Sarawak politics without the blessing of Taib. He has the dirt on everyone that they HAVE to listen to him.
If Sarawakians want change, they only have one choice and that is to vote against BN even if its the devil they are voting for..
#8 by Winston on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 4:45 pm
Uncle Lim, allow me to digress from the topic.
I am using Mozilla Firefox version 3.6.15.
I noticed that the word check that must be made has no provision (box) for typing them.
I have checked with Internet Explorer and there is a proper box for the words to be typed.
Is it possible to switch to Firefox, if that’s not what you’re doing now?
#9 by sheriff singh on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 5:22 pm
BN will win by a landslide. Just wait. How and why?
They are going to play dirty, that’s how, to win by hook or by crook.
All non-Sarawakian politicians, unfriendly NGOs will be denied entry into the state until it is too late.
Then many issues like Alkitab, land, etc etc will be banned as ‘threatening national security’ so cannot talk about it.
Any thing bad about Taik is especially banned.
All long houses out of bounds (like Felda settlements) to non-BN people.
Mass media to provide ‘erroneous’ and one-sided news.
Have you all checked your names on the electoral rolls and where you will be voting? Don’t be caught by surprise on polling day.
More ‘you-help-me, I help you’ thingy.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
#10 by sheriff singh on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 6:21 pm
“…..deny BN two-thirds majority in the Sarawak State Assembly”… Kit Siang
So your target and expectations isn’t very high is it? You won’t go far this way. You already have accepted the reality of another defeat, that you won’t be able to rule Sarawak any time soon. You just cannot make the necessary inroads and breakthroughs and are satisfied with winning a bit here and there. You talk about winning the war but at the same time you admit it is not very likely.
Taib will rule again. He will be vindicated. The people support his misdeeds. They just love him.
#11 by sheriff singh on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 6:23 pm
Gee, I got two ‘awaiting moderation’ in queue. Will they see the light of day?
Repeal the PPPA.
#12 by pulau_sibu on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 9:53 pm
Mubarak wanted to pass the throne to his son.
The only way for him to guard his empire is to have his son or family member on power.
What did the Egyptians said to Mubarak? NO
#13 by yhsiew on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 10:10 pm
#9 sheriff singh
///Gee, I got two ‘awaiting moderation’ in queue. Will they see the light of day?///
Try “The Malaysian Insider”. It is another good place to do blogging. No email address and registration are required. Just key in your comment and nickname – that’s all. 99.9999% of your comments will be accepted so long as you don’t use foul language. I tried a few times on that blog this week and found it impressive.
#14 by monsterball on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 10:53 pm
I am sure DAP wants to kick out BN.
Failing which…denying them a 2/3 majority is realistic.
I hope the Sibu Miracle..will become a Sarawak Miracle.
#15 by Thor on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 11:56 pm
What 2/3 majority???
We need more than that!!!
If you think only of 2/3, then you better not ask for anything.
We already denied them 2/3 in the previous GE and what do we get?
Got 5 states but lost one because of “frogs”.
We need to win more than that and we need to start from sarawak first.
We need to give Nutjib insomnia and we need to make Moo understand that he’s no human but a cow demon.
We need to make everyone in BN piss thru their pants.
So YB Lim, no 2/3 please!!!
#16 by Jeffrey on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 12:39 am
Re # 13 –
There is something not right about your automatic filter moderation system.
It apparently now blocks more often than usual or before, comments – and not necessarily because they contain racist, sexist, vulgar or derogatory/defamatory words. Unrectified, the blog may lose the interest of some commenters.
#17 by cto on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 1:22 am
If this continues and is not fixed, I will be discouraged from commenting further in this blog. I have personally been baffled a number of times by this.
cto
#18 by johnnypok on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 3:53 am
The President of SUPP was turned into chicken-soup when he tried to do his round in a major town in northern Sarawak, recently.
He virtually ran away … tail between his leg … heart-broken
Is this an indication of the imminent death of SUPP?
#19 by penang lim on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 6:48 am
The only way is to boot him out – I know this is rather difficult but never impossible – good luck
#20 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 7:43 am
BN has no man to succeed Taib. That means BN is now a bankrupt party without any capable person. but the opposition has the capability to lead, so switch the power.
#21 by k1980 on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 8:24 am
With the exception of Sarawak National Party (SNAP), the opposition pact of DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS will thrash out the 71-seat allocation among themselves by next week.
How to win like dat? Three cornered contests will only benefit the white-haired emperor!
#22 by undertaker888 on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 8:27 am
time to kick umno and bn out. if they lose and decide on “crushed bodies and spilled blood”,against the will of the people, Tomahawk missiles will be waiting for them goons.
well, unless stupid people will vote them again and get sodomise again and again for free.
#23 by singa pura pura on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 9:12 am
If the Czar of Sarawak had wanted to leave on his own volition, he would have left. If he could have been made to go (by Umno, who else?), he would have been gone. Umno/PBB would have been able to benefit from declaring: you people wanted Saruman the White to go, he is now gone, why not vote BN.
But the Empire of the Inimical is too vast and the roots too deeply entrenched. WE, the people, have allowed it to be so, and BN has set it in stone for us. Now, the Czar says he will only desist if he should triumph again. That he will only favour the people – with his Absence – if the people will lay prostrate in his continued and prolonged Presence.
Such is the Twist of Trade that the Czar seeks with his people.
Soon, the people of Sarawak will have their own Tryst with Destiny. And when destiny has come and gone, only one will be left twisting by the pool – the Czar or the people of Sarawak.
#24 by boh-liao on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 9:20 am
Let’s b objectif n not emotional – bware of d pendulum swing n BN’s evil underhand tactics
Don’t b surprised BN sapu most S’wak state seats n blow out PR candidates
Bad news but unfortunately highly possible bcos most voters r simple ppl n view BN as g od n willing 2 suffer 4 BN, just 4 a few $$$ during erection, c’est la vie, touche
#25 by monsterball on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 9:25 am
If all Sarawakians are determind to vote against corruptions…and double standards applied..then there will be no problems.
The point is..most poor folks do not feel the said corruptions have anything to do with them.
As such ..denying Tiab 2/3 majority is realistic.
#26 by cemerlang on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 9:27 am
Money god reigns. Hallelujah ! Amin !
#27 by boh-liao on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 9:31 am
White hair g od #1 croaked “Please release me let me go” n now d demi g od #2, a relatif by marriage, also croaked “Please release me let me go, 4 I hv jiak pah pah liao”
Charade, wayang, Oscar time …… 4 d award of pink elephant
#28 by Bunch of Suckers on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 10:08 am
Well, Malaysian are dumbasses…
Vote those suckers for a price of RM$300 with long term sufferings and enduring sucks from those suckers…
Who shall you blame? You yourselves for being dumbasses! Who are going to suffer and endure?
#29 by loo on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 10:54 am
It’s time for Taib to go now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr-Ia45UJ6Q
#30 by dagen on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 11:24 am
Maintaining performance in peninsular and denying 2/3 majority in sabah n sarawak may just do the trick for pakatan. Now, if umno managed to claw back some lost support in peninsular (with 2/3 majority lost in sabah n sarawak) then the likelihood is we may see a hanging situation.
The question is will we see a significant erosion of support for pakatan in peninsular? I suspect johorean chinese may back away from mca and vote pakatan (mainly DAP). So on the whole mca will perform even worse than before. And Perakians have an old score to settle with jib and umno. Are these enough to balance out the support umno somehow managed to claw back? Possible. Maybe not completely but enough to maintain pakatan’s hold.
I believe this has to be pakatan’s outlook and objectives.
And lets hope this comment of my does not get moderated out of blog view.
#31 by boh-liao on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 1:51 pm
Sad truth is many noise makers who complain nonstop abt BN r NOT registered voters
Dis is Y racist n corrupt UmnoB/BNputras r so happy here n insist dat here is no Egypt
No protest n no overthrowing of UmnoB/BN, most rakyat happy, puashati here
#32 by Ray on Monday, 21 March 2011 - 3:57 pm
PR must take up Political Campaign issues like Atkitab ,Taib Timber Concession,Disappearing of MP Sulaiman (Taib owned 2 Prodigal sons,the other Famous $40million Divorce suit Mohamad Taib),Taib abuse of CM power ,Corruption Obssession, Land grapping,Corrupted PBB ,SUPP MP Lawmakers,Economy Downfall c/w Bleak Career and future under BN PBB Government,
Abuse of Native Penan ,the real aborigine people of Sarawak,and so forth.
Kudos to PR
#33 by Taxidriver on Tuesday, 22 March 2011 - 5:36 am
The time is ripe for Sarawakians reject corrupt UNMOB/BN government. Tell them you they cannot buy your rights and freedom with a few hundred ringgit. Show them You, Sarawakians, may be poor but you have strong backbones. But please take whatever that they offer you ( they are rightfully yours, anyway ) but vote for the opposition.
RISE! create history by starting the Malaysian Revolution. The people are with you.
#34 by Richardqed on Tuesday, 22 March 2011 - 8:41 am
See this article from the Sarawak Report. BN is bickering too much internally.
Pakatan and SNAP need to co-operate and MAKE SURE all seats are straight fights. To me the only jokers in Pakatan are the PKR bunch, so I hope DAP and Pas will do all they can to ensure this best ever chance will be capitalized to take the state together with SNAP.
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2011/03/najib-and-deputy-came-to-sack-taib-after-shock-polls-exclusive/