Sarawak 5th Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem who left us one year ago today
A . He did these for all Sarawakians:
1. Declares war against illegal logging.
2. Abolishes the term ‘lainlain’ and replaces it with ‘Dayak’ in all official forms.
3. Slashes the assessment rates for residential, agriculture property by 10% to 100%.
4. Pronounces Engl ish as Sarawak’s second official language and makes it clear both Bahasa Malaysia and English can be used in all official matters.
5. Increases the rural areas budget in 2014 (RM2.19b), 2015 (RM2.35b) and 2016 (RM2.65b).
6. Elevates Serian District as Sarawak’s 12th Division.
7. Establishes nine new districts ie Tebedu, Subis, Beluru, Telang Usan, Bukit Mabong, Tanjung Manis, Pusa and Kabong.
8 . Gets the Education Department to ensure 90% of teachers teaching in Sarawak are Sarawakian.
9 . Recognizes United Examination Certificate (UEC) and announces that Yayasan Sarawak will give scholarships to UEC students and that UEC holders can enter the State Civil Service.
10. Gives grants of RM3m (2014), RM4m (2015) and RM5m (2016) to Chinese Independent Schools.
11. Abolishes the tolls at bridges including Tun Salahuddin Bridge in Kuching.
12. Pronounces that Chinese are not ‘pendatang’ or immigrants of Sarawak but just like the Malays, Iban, Bidayuh, Kelabit, Lun Bawang are Malaysians.
13. Reiterates that Christians in Sarawak can use the word ‘Allah’. 14. Makes it clear that UMNO will not enter Sarawak.
15. Reduces the payment rates of electricity from 2% to 50% across the board.
16. Standardises ferry service fares at RM1 from the previous RM5 to RM15.
17. Gets the six key timber pl a y e r s Samling, Shin Yang, Ta Ann, Rimbunan Hijau, WTK and KTS to sign Corporate Integrity Pledge.
18. Freezes the issuance of new timber licences and state land for commercial plantation.
19. Imposes moratorium on the construction of the proposed Baram Dam.
20. Amends Section 5 (5A) of Sarawak Land Code to enable Sarawak Bumiputra to acquire NCR land outside of their own community.
21. Declares July 22 a public holiday for Sarawak as ‘Sarawak Day’.
22. Begins negotiating with the Federal Government for Sarawak’s rights under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) including the increase in oil royalty from 5% to 20% to Sarawak.
B. His Famous Quotes:
1. Don’t mess with me.
2. In Sarawak, we still have children walking bare-footed to school.
3. If in only two years, I managed to make 53 decisions that benefit Sarawak people, how much more if I were given five more years?
4. Yet to succeed does not mean unsuccessful or failure.
5 . You can us e ‘Allah’ anytime you want. No problem. Just use it with respect.
6 . S a r awa k cannot be a government wi thout the Malays, Ibans, Chinese, Bidayuh or Orang Ulu.
7. I thank t h e Chinese entrepreneurs who play a significant role in Sarawak’s development.
8. Just give me another five years. Then I will be 76. I will not want to stay on.
C. His Favourite Songs:
‘Can’t help falling in love’ and ‘Young ones’ which he sang on many public occasions and raised millions of ringgit for charities.
