When Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem took over the chief minister’s post from Pehin Sri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud on Feb 28, questions were raised on his capability to fill Taib’s shoes in leading the state.
Taking over from someone who has steered the state on a steady course of development for 33 years is a daunting task.
There was also apprehension that Adenan would be just a puppet with Taib in his new position as Head of State pulling the strings.
However, that fear was quickly put to rest by Taib who stated publicly that Adenan would be running the state without interference.
On hindsight, any notion that Adenan would be sitting in the Chief Minister’s office running the state at the bidding of anyone was foolish.
Adenan has always been a man with a mind of his own and while acknowledging Taib’s tremendous contribution to the state’s development he quickly stamped his own style of leadership as chief minister.
Any doubt about his ability to take off from where Taib left in the state’s development vanished within the first 100 days of his term.
One of the first things Adenan did was to declare the continuation of Taib’s stand on the ‘Allah’ controversy – that usage of that word by Christians in their worship is non-issue in the state.
He went further by declaring a ban on religious extremists and bigots from entering the state.
It takes a brave man to make that declaration in the face of rising extremism and religious discord in Peninsular Malaysia.
The new chief minister showed his penchant for dishing out pleasant surprises with a string of announcements and declarations that had been music to the ears of Sarawakians.
Among these, perhaps the most pleasing was his request for a rise from 5 per cent to 20 per cent oil royalty from Petronas.
Oil royalty has been a burning grouse among people in the state but until Adenan raised the issue, the fight for bigger oil royalty has largely been borne by the opposition.
That bold request drew plaudits from every Sarawakian notably even from the opposition.
He will have his work cut out for him in pursuing that increase but whatever the outcome the message sent to the federal government is clear – Sarawak will no longer sit back and let its natural resources be tapped while getting pittance in return.
The clamour for higher oil royalty is a reflection of the frustration over the glaring imbalance in the development communication infrastructure between Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.
This issue too has been addressed by Adenan through his demand for bigger federal development allocation for the state.
The people in the state are rallying behind the chief minister in his quest for a more equitable share of the development especially for the construction of the Pan- Borneo highway.
Then he crossed the political divide by reaching out to the opposition elected representatives and inviting them to lunch to listen to their views.
That unexpected invitation left opposition backbenchers flabbergasted but pleased that the chief minister was willing to drop the confrontational approach to seek a common ground to work for the good of the state.
Breaking more new ground he recently announced a grant of RM3 million for the board of management of Chinese secondary school in the state with a hint he would give a bigger grant next year.
He topped up the grant by telling those who call Chinese in the nation ‘pendatangs’ that it was stupid to do so.
He reassured the Chinese that they were as much part of the nation’s society as anyone else.
While the vast majority of Sarawakians applaud Adenan’s forthright manner in declaring his stand inevitably he might have rubbed some people the wrong way.
His call for an end to illegal logging and tough measures ton wipe out this wanton destruction of our forest for example must have ruffled some feathers.
The recent posting in the Internet condemning him showed that not everyone is happy with his policies and stand on controversial issues.
Adenan will have to take these brickbats together with the laurels – as the saying goes ‘the tallest bamboo catches the strongest wind’.
It is imperative that Sarawakians stand behind Adenan in his fight for the people, promotion of racial harmony and efforts to eradicate illegal activities. Carry on chief minister – you have hit the right buttons so far.