Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is not stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister any time soon.
This is obvious from his latest very elaborate political dance which he had choreographed over his intended resignation as Sarawak Chief Minister.
Cutting through all the verbiage and verbosity indulged by Taib yesterday, the message is very clear: Taib will lead the Barisan Nasional into the state general election expected next month and he will continue as Sarawak Chief Minister after the polls!
Reason? Taib has not yet been able to groom a successor!
Taib had chosen his words carefully when he said:
“I will lead this election so that new blood can come up, but after that, when the people I have groomed can form a new team and can work for this country, for the people of various races, and that these people can work as part of a team, then I will call it a day”
It is still a long way to go before Taib is ready to hand over the reins of Sarawak state government to his successor – as he himself has outlined the many steps that must be taken before he could contemplate relinquishing the post of Sarawak Chief Minister, including:
(i) To form “a new team” to run the state government;
(ii) To ensure that the new team can “work as part of a team”.
This means Taib will have no qualms to continue as Sarawak Chief Minister for instance (i) if he is not satisfied that he has got a “new team” that could work for the country or (ii) not assured that the new team could “work as part of a team”.
This can take anything from one year to five years as he may have to keep trying “a new team”!
The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has merely echoed Taib’s wishes when he said he respects Taib’s desire to quit politics but cautioned that Taib should not be pressured to quit.
Najib said Taib is ready to step down and when the time is right, Taib will pass the baton to his successor. There is no need to force him to quit.
As there is not only no successor at present but the new team has yet to be formed and tested, Taib’s stepping down as Sarawak Chief Minister is far into the distant horizon.
Clearly, Taib has to choreograph and act out the elaborate political dance of his preparedness to step down as Chief Minister to counter and neutralise the Sarawak Barisan Nasional’s Achilles’ heel in the impending Sarawak state general election – that Taib had overstayed as Sarawak Chief Minister.
It will be known soon enough whether Sarawak voters are so gullible that such a political ploy and bluff can work so as to return Taib for another term as Sarawak Chief Minister.
#1 by dcasey on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 5:08 pm
YB Kit missed out a critiria no.3, that being…”or until the day he kicks the bucket (whichever comes first)”
#2 by boh-liao on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 5:33 pm
It’s true, he wants 2 retire as CM 2 enjoy his young n juicy wife b4 kicking d bucket
But he has 2 b sure his successor is as corrupt as he is, so dat d new CM will not go after n prosecute him n his family, nanti all his ill gotten wealth all gone with d wind, jia lat
Mayb d irresistible, infatigable FLOM, beauty n brain + unmentionable past, can takeover
#3 by yhsiew on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 5:59 pm
Money, money, money – the more the merrier. I am unconvinced he is going to step down.
#4 by pulau_sibu on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 8:46 pm
I remembered that in previous election, they said Taib, George Chan and Wong Soon Koh would be competing for the last round. But then they continue to compete in the coming election. These people have no shame. They are not better than Mubarak and Gadhafi.
#5 by Taxidriver on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 9:08 pm
Very corrupt and power-crazy leaders will never step down voluntarily. They need to be forced out. This fact nobody can refute, so Sarawakians fall for Taib’s sweet talks. Make another mistake this time around and you all will have to suffer for another few decades.
RISE! brothers and sisters. Do not lose sight of your focus.
#6 by Taxidriver on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 9:11 pm
correction: This fact nobody can refute, so Sarawakians do not fall for Taib’s sweet talks.C
#7 by pulau_sibu on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 9:19 pm
Look at Mubarak, how many times did he change his tactics of delaying and delaying, until he was forced out by the people in a miserable way. all dictators around the world acted in the same way. no surprise to Taib… will have the same ending as mubarak
#8 by yhsiew on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 9:22 pm
///Taib to go for one more term/// – The Malaysian Insider
Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud confirmed today that he will be chief minister for another term should Barisan Nasional (BN) win the upcoming state election.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/taib-mahmud-says-he-is-stepping-down/
#9 by tak tahan on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 10:23 pm
If Taib is voted in again,Sarawakian shouldn’t complain anymore because you got no one to blame except yourself.Forget about Alkitab,NCR or the oil revenue commision.Plough the the field hard with your bull like Taib n goons will drag your nose as in the present.
#10 by DAP man on Saturday, 19 March 2011 - 11:28 pm
Taib wants to die in office. Why should the defacto Sarawak King want to be an ordinary citizen and be mocked and humiliated and perhaps face 1000 charges of corruption and spent the rest of his life in court or in jail.
If the Sarawak voters want to keep rotting then let them vote for BN.
#11 by boh-liao on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 12:09 am
Finally d battle has begun, S’wak state assem\bly 2 b dissolved on Mon, 21.3.11
N election 2 b held on 16.411 – White hair not worried abt his reputation as a corrupt CM, truly confident, got style n guts
#12 by Godfather on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 12:25 am
He can’t go yet….as he has yet to receive promise of immunity from prosecution from Najib. With all the exposes day by day about the land grab, the millions of property assets in London, US and Canada, the stockholdings in so many companies – Taib needs immunity from prosecution if he is to step down. His only negotiating strength is his position to influence the number of parliamentary seats, and he will lose his influence once he steps down.
#13 by johnnypok on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 4:40 am
I would love to hear that he suddenly kick the bucket tonight
#14 by monsterball on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 8:01 am
After 30 years..still cannot groom a successor?
And for the third time..he said will retire after the State Election.
Yes after State election…if his party wins…he can retire slowly and peacefully…living out of Malaysia for good.
If Sarawak looses to oppositions…he will run like hell.
His billions are spread out into more than 50 companies his family owns.
The point is…are all Sarawakian voters can be easily fooled again and again trusting him.
The sad part is…the State have such a large number of poor and lowly educated Malaysians created by him…that the job to get daily bread to feed the families are more important.
You can say…Tiab have succeeded faster than UMNO B in West Malaysia to tame vast majority voters to struggle and accept corruptions as a way of life to survive.
The Sibu Miracle was inspring.
Lets hope that miracle will inspire all Sarawakians…in their State Election..for their own good.
#15 by k1980 on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 8:59 am
Jib inspected his ministers, and afterward told Moo that they smelled bad.
Jib then suggested perhaps it would help if the ministers would change their underwear occasionally.
Moo responded, “Aye, aye sir, I’ll see to it immediately!”
Moo announced to the ministers, “The PM thinks you lot smell bad and wants you to change your underwear.”
He continued, “Zahid, you exchange yours with Shahrizat. Palaniel, you change with YenYen, and Koon you change with Nazri.”
Zahid protested, “But…but her size is too big for me to put on.”
YenYen also complained, “His is too small for me to wear.”
#16 by Winston on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 9:14 am
Uncle Lim, one thing I can assure you.
This old centaur won’t last long!
[deleted]
They will destroy each other!!!
#17 by boh-liao on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 10:42 am
Looks like PR n other opposition political parties r NOT ready 4 d erection
PKR wants 2 b tai ko tai but may b chewing more than what it can handle
Let’s C how many turncoats, toads, Trojan horses in PR AFTER d state erection
D erection is timed 2 coincide with d expected court decision on sodomee 2
#18 by boh-liao on Sunday, 20 March 2011 - 11:26 am
Can really wallop taib aaaah? Can change aaaah?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgiOsQey3-w
Or just syiok diri 1? Y only English n Chinese? Y no BM, Tamil, Kadazan? Not multilingual?
#19 by Peter on Tuesday, 22 March 2011 - 10:08 am
How convenient when the Sarawak assembly had just been dissolved for election that this explosive sex video, purporting to be the opposition leader as culprit comes out in public. This certainly would be a ‘no holds barred’ campaign in the coming weeks. The whole episode stinks to high heaven.
Datuk T dared not reveal himself. He didn’t report the sex video to the police which is the rightful thing to do. He, with impunity, can organised a video viewing sessions with the press without the interference of the police.
If the allegation, which is as recent as Feb 21, is true, then Anwar is the most stupid man on earth: knowing that the Umno regime is watching his every move. It is unbelievable that alleged tryst is in the country: we hear of opposition leaders, including Anwar going abroad when they had important matters to discuss to avoid the snooping from Umno.
How much more evil can the Umno government inflict on one man? Sodomy, adultery, stripped, jailed and assaulted. Enough is enough.