KUCHING: History will remember Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg as a plain talker, straight shooter and above all, a fair chief minister.
It may be still early yet but lawyer Shankar Ram Asnani insisted that he was not acting prematurely when he made the remark while commenting on the 2020 State Budget that was recently tabled by Abang Johari.
He agreed that the budget was focused on development because to change the economy, the government had to spend on what the people need such as clean water supply, electricity, bridges, roads and so on.
“This is a prudent thing to do. Why should we keep the state’s money in some bank when the people are suffering and in great need of government assistance? You help the people and they will be grateful to you. In this, I say that, in the end, history will have good things to say about him (Abang Johari) as chief minister,” he said to reporters at CityOne Megamall recently.
Shankar thinks that Sarawak has good leaders and the sincere Abang Johari is prominent among them and that’s not just because he happens to be chief minister.
“Which state leader past and present who said that he/she would follow the Prophet’s teaching (as a true Muslim) but would treat people of all races and religions fairly?” he said.
Hence, he urged Sarawakians to give Abang Johari full support and not let Malayan or Malaya-control individuals/party to take control of the state government.
“The Malayan style or brand of politics is not compatible with our Sarawak socio-political culture,” he said.
“Malayans and pro-Malaya Sarawak leaders often confuse people with their politicking and rhetoric, so you cannot trust them completely. We must make sure that the state government is forever in the hands of Sarawakians who are for Sarawak.”
