KUCHING: Sarawak lost another great ‘Anak Sarawak’ with the passing of Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
“Tun was my late father Tan Sri Datuk Amar Sim Kheng Hong’s political partner, chief of his cabinet, a family friend, and my Sarawak Heart Foundation chairman,” he said in his Facebook post this morning.
The Minister for Public Health, Housing, and Local Government said the 33 years of Taib’s chief ministership resulted in not just political stability but social and religious harmony in Sarawak.
“Apart from politics of development in Sarawak, Taib’s legacy is Sarawak-based political parties governing Sarawak rather than letting Umno and MCA come to Sarawak.
“Tun was the main initiator responsible for the relocation of cardiac service from Sarawak General Hospital to Samarahan as well as operation under the Ministry of Health Malaysia rather than the university in 2001,” he said.
Dr Sim added that after the late Datuk Amar Laila Taib passed away in 2009, Taib took over the chairmanship of the Sarawak Heart Foundation and had always focused on how to help the cardiac service at the Sarawak Heart Centre and the patients.
“I learned a lot from Tun’s strategic planning during the board meetings over the years. After Tun became Governor of Sarawak, he used to share with me his visions of Sarawak (still wondering why sharing with me) and various advice.
“One in particular which I remember until today: Never listen to what a person says. Study his or her character.
“He used to tell me, ‘many people come to me (Taib) saying bad things about you, I told them, I know Dr Sim since small. Do you know him as long as me?” he said.
Dr Sim also expressed his gratitude for all Taib’s contributions to the state.
“Thanks for all your contributions to Sarawak Tun. Al-Fatihah,” he said.
