Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
― Jack Welch, American business executive
This week the nation was shocked by the passing of Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, dubbed as Sarawak’s ‘Father of Modernisation’.
Royalty, heads of state, federal and state ministers, and political leaders and pundits paid tribute to Sarawak’s fourth chief minister and seventh Governor who passed away on Wednesday.
In the past few days, many spoke highly of the former Yang di-Pertua Negeri, attributing Sarawak’s transformation to his 33-year tenure as the state’s chief executive.
This was a man who served Sarawak in its early days from the moment it was granted self-rule in 1963 until last month when his tenure as Governor ended.
It was fitting that a fellow statesman and successor – Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who lauded his life of service — paid tribute to Taib.
“It is an undeniable fact that the late Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had sacrificed 63 out of 87 years of his life to serve Sarawak and helped transform a backwater Sarawak into what it is today,” Wan Junaidi said.
Taib was the grand old man of Sarawak politics, overseeing periods of instability in Sarawak’s early years, navigating political challenges and tremors in the late 80s and shaping what we now know as modern Sarawak.
One thing that his peers and more so, his rivals, learned was Taib’s political acumen. He was a master tactician in his best days, an attribute that benefitted Sarawak in more ways than many would have realised.
It was said that Taib, then chief minister, formed a gentleman’s agreement with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, then prime minister, for Umno to not set foot in Sarawak.
It means Sarawakians have full control of their political destiny and are not bound by the whims of political warlords from Malaya and their interests. Sarawak’s interest is a top priority which remains the case today.
Many would compare Sarawak to Sabah which, as a state, did not enjoy the same luxury of political stability as its neighbour.
By keeping its doors shut to Umno, Sarawak also limited whatever potential influence that similar Malaya-based parties – PKR, PAS, Amanah and Bersatu to name a few – would have in the state.
It is fair to say that Malaya-based parties never really gained a foothold in Sarawak. It also means Malaya-based issues never gained traction in the state nor have they affected the voting population.
It allowed state-based issues to take centre stage, enabling the pursuit of Sarawak’s rights and interests by the ruling local political parties.
While the late Taib has continued to be mentioned in the same breath as Dr Mahathir, being in power in the same era, one thing that sets the former chief minister apart is his choice of successors.
Much has been made about Dr Mahathir having trouble with prime ministers who came after him – even when they too were at one time groomed, and some, handpicked for the top post by the nonagenarian.
The names of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Dr Mahathir’s immediate successor in his first reign, Tun Abdullah Badawi, come to mind.
No such thing with Taib. When he named his immediate successor in 2014, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, he stuck with him.
Adenan, a former brother-in-law of Taib, went on to forge his legacy, becoming a popular figure who is still held in high reverence by Sarawakians and Malaysians.
When Adenan’s sudden passing in January 2017, just six months after securing a second term in office, robbed Sarawakians of their beloved chief minister, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was appointed as Adenan’s successor.
Just as he supported Adenan’s tenure, Taib did the same for Abang Johari – rarely, if ever, interfering in the running of the Sarawak government.
When Taib stepped down as chief minister, he made a promise that as governor, his role was limited to offering advice if requested.
In own his words, being Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri meant similar to being the Queen of England. This was when Queen Elizabeth II was the sitting monarch.
He stuck by his promise and displayed a sort of modern-day monarch approach being the Head of State, becoming a figure of wisdom and unity for the people of Sarawak.
My deepest condolences to the family of Tun Pehin Sri, may they be granted strength in this difficult time and may his soul be placed among the pious. Amin.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
