KUCHING: Speculation that Sarawak’s longest-serving Chief Minister Taib Mahmud might step down following his recent marriage to a young Arabic woman has resurfaced.
Currently, Taib and his young wife are away honeymooning in Paris. Word on the ground is that as soon as he returns to Sarawak this month, he will be tendering his resignation from his post which he has held for more than 30 years.
Taib’s deputy, Alfred Jabu Anank Numpang, is expected to take over as acting chief minister.
Jabu, the deputy president of Pesaka Bumiputers Bersatu (PBB), will also be assigned to lead the state Barisan Nasional (BN) into the next state election which must be called before July 2011.
The latest rumours have generated interest not only among the public, but also among Taib’s Cabinet ninisters. One has even asked his aides to find out more “details” of the rumours.
According to the political grapevine here, after the state elections Jabu will step aside and give way to someone that Taib can trust.
Currently two names are being tossed about as possible replacement for Taib. One of them is Wahab Dollah, a Melanau and the MP for Igan.
He is tipped to contest in Taib’s current state seat of Balingian in the coming election. The other name mentioned is the former federal minister, Effendi Norwawi.
Adenan Satem, a one-time a leading contender to the post of chief minister may, however, be given another appointment.
Some say he may be appointed the next Sarawak governor. He is currently the special adviser to the chief minister, holding the rank of a minister.
KL fears Taib’s scandal
State Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Abang Johari Openg, who is also a deputy president of PBB, has been relegated to the bottom of the list.
Eventhough Kuala Lumpur wants Johari to take over as the next chief minister, Taib does not trust him.
In fact, the acrimony between Johari’s family and Taib go back to the construction of the Merdeka Hotel about 10 years ago. The hotel is owned by Johari’s family members.
Until today no government function is allowed to be held at the hotel according to a “directive” from Taib. Such is the extent of their enmity.
But for the sake of “Muslim unity” they appear to be in good terms. Taib’s uncharacteristic lack of resistence to Kuala Lumpur’s pressure for him to step down is rumoured to be linked to a forecast by his personal bomoh.
Rumour is that the bomoh has warned Taib to step down before the state election, otherwise something “bad” will happen to him.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, meanwhile, does not want Taib to be the main campaign issue against the Barisan Nasional in the state election.
Primary cause
During the May 2010 Sibu by-election, Taib was said to have been the primary cause for the loss of Bandar Sibu, the BN’s stronghold to DAP.
In the coming election, Najib does not want allegations of abuse of power, corruption, nepotism and cronyism to be used against Taib and the BN.
Extensive reports of abuse and Taib’s colossal wealth in Sarawak and abroad have been widely circulated on the web.
Among the allegations exposed by online newsportal Sarawak Report are Taib’s billion dollars worth of foreign properties in Australia, Canada, the US and London, NCR lands being leased to his crony companies and members of his family and land grab issues.
Taib has not responded to any one of these allegations. Local reporters have been barred from asking Taib questions regarding these allegations.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC), too, has remained conspicuously silent although several reports have been lodged with the MACC against Taib.
MACC’s silence is irking opposition parties which are shoring up voter support in Sarawak by flagging Taib’s alleged pillage of Sarawak.
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