FESTIVE JOY: Taib cuts a giant ‘Ketupat’ to start the Hari Raya gathering. With him are (from third left) Nancy, Karim, Julaihi, Ali and Aidel (right). Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi.
SELAMAT HARI RAYA: Taib greets the visitors at the Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri event at the Asajaya Sports Complex upon his arrival. He is followed by Karim. Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud again announced that he will retire and pass the baton of leadership to younger leaders.
Speaking at a Hari Raya gathering for Kota Samarahan Division held at Asajaya Sports Complex, some 60 km from here yesterday, he, however, did not indicate when he would step down nor mention potential successor to his post.
Taib, 77, noted that he was one of two long-serving leaders left in PBB, the backbone of the state Barisan Nasional (BN).
“Those who are left in PBB, those who are long-serving leaders are only (Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri) Alfred Jabu and I. That’s all.”
Taib, who is also PBB president, said all the up-and-coming leaders were young and new people that the party had introduced over the years.
“I will retire. I’m not getting younger. Day by day I’m getting older. The party has progressively introduced new leaders by preparing and putting up a lot of new faces in PBB.”
He pointed out that PBB introduced 10 new faces in the April 2011 state polls and fielded Rubiah Wang to replace Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib in Kota Samarahan in the May 5 general election this year.
Taib hoped the Bumiputera community would continue to accept new PBB leaders as the state progresses. He advised the people to always stay united.
Also present were Batang Sadong MP Nancy Shukri, who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is also Assistant Minister for Youth Development, Sebuyau assemblyman Julaihi Narawi, who is also Assistant Minister of Rural Development, Muara Tuang assemblyman Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud and Sadong Jaya assemblyman Aidel Lariwoo.
Taib’s announcement yesterday was not the first time the state BN chairman had spoken about retiring.
He first talked about retiring weeks prior to the April 2011 state election at a press conference in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He told reporters then that he would retire in “mid term”, when asked.
During campaigning, Taib said he would retire within two to three years’ time.