KUCHING: Assistant Minister for Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said the late Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was well loved by all Sarawakians.
He said the demise of Adenan was a great loss to all Sarawakians, especially the Bidayuh community as well as all his dear friends.
Expressing his deepest condolences to Adenan’s family, Dr Jerip said Adenan during his short tenure as chief minister had achieved a lot in terms of our basic rights as expressed in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Bidayuh community leader for Kuching Division, Temenggong Austin Dimin Niyon, described Datuk Patinggi Tan
Sri Adenan Satem as the best chief minister that Sarawak ever had.
He said Adenan was both an intelligent and a smart man, whom he knew since in school.
“He (Adenan) was the best chief minister that we (Sarawakians) ever had, he had done a lot since taking helm of the state and he was a chief minister for all races,” Dimin said.
He said he was shocked to hear the news on the demise of Adenan.
Dimin hoped that Adenan’s successor would continue his struggle to fight for Sarawakians’ rights under the MA63 until it is fulfilled and honoured by the federal government.
“I hope that our next chief minister can follow the feat or even better in voicing and demanding our rights under MA63,” he said, adding that the demise of Adenan was a great loss to the state.
Serumbu assemblyman Miro Simuh said the state had lost a great leader who had ‘inspired us to be true Sarawakians’.
Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep said Adenan’s demise was a sad day for Sarawakians.
“Today (yesterday) is a very sad day for us Sarawakians for we have lost a great man, great father and a great chief minister,” he said.
Youth chief of Mambong branch of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Cr Bronnie Marshall, said the late Tok Nan was a true Sarawak politician and a fighter who never wanted to lose a battle.
“He fought for our Sarawak rights until his last breath…his legacy that he left behind can never be achieved by any of us,” he said.