If there were still any questions whether Sarawak is in good hands, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has put it beyond any doubt.
I will start with that line this week, five days after his performance on the nation’s top political podcast in conjunction with Sarawak Day on Monday.
The combination of former politician Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan of Keluar Sekejap (KS) came prepared with biting questions but it is safe to say that the Premier came out on top.
It is always interesting to see what others make of Sarawak and its leadership particularly from the nation’s vantage point and the reactions to this special episode was encouraging.
Many viewers praised Abang Johari’s calm demeanour and articulation of facts when pressed on issues, to them it was a breath of fresh air.
I think this was because the Premier was able to embody the Sarawak narrative when it comes to politics which is to remain grounded and people-centric while at the same time ensuring policies benefit layers of the society,
During a time where we have leaders at the federal level who appears to be tone-deaf and combative when dealing with public perceptions, Abang Johari outlined the value of sincerity in serving the people. This is what the politics of today are lacking.
Sincerity also means not jousting for power. Early in the episode, when asked on how Abang Johari persevered despite being put into the political cold storage after winning the PBB deputy president post, the Premier said loyalty to the party comes first.
As he put it, there is no point of fighting for positions if it could create disunity within the party and among the public.
Being sincere also means having nothing to hide and from the feedback I received from the Keluar Sekejap crew, they were surprised that the Premier was very forthcoming in answering the questions in the podcast.
Either it was a preconceived notion that Abang Johari is a protected public figure or simply the past experience of the crew when interviewing other leaders in Malaya who would turn down questions, I am not certain.
But make no mistake, I think the national audience was blown away by the Premier’s farsightedness and clarity of thought – the latter was a phrase used by the two podcast hosts to describe Abang Johari.
That same clarity of thought was appreciated by viewers who would go on to say that Abang Johari has all the makings of a prime minister.
But knowing the sense of humility of the Premier, he was the first to say that GPS is not interested in occupying the prime minister position.
This, he said, was because of the small representation of Sarawakians in Parliament whereby a GPS prime minister would not solve the issue of political instability at the federal level.
As much as people from Malaya would criticise Sarawak and its leaders for being parochial, propagating state nationalism or regionalist sentiments, here is a Sarawakian leader in Abang Johari putting the nation’s best interest at heart.
“What we want is for Malaysia to be politically stable and for its economy to improve,” he said, responding to a question on the podcast.
He went on to say that political bickering among leaders does not serve the people as it meant that long-standing issues would take a back seat.
Alluding to the dire facilities at Sarawak’s borders with West Kalimantan, Indonesia, he said: “Just look at our border posts between Entikong (in Indonesia) and Tebedu (in Malaysia).
“Entikong’s border post looks like an airport while Tebedu (border post) looks like a reban ayam (chicken coop),” he added. The responsibility of managing the borders rests with the federal government.
“I’m sorry I have to say this,” the Premier said, realising that his comments might offend certain quarters. To this I say: Sir, you have nothing to apologise for. You have hit the nail on the head. It is high time that these people get their priorities straight.
The Sarawak struggle has been a long and winding road. On Sarawak Day, it was an opportunity to reflect on where we were years ago and what we have achieved today.
Today Sarawak stands tall, being the beacon of political stability, social harmony, rapid development and the main mover of the new economy based on renewable energy. We have set a high bar.
To the Premier, I say: You showed them what you are made of, Sir. You showed them the Sarawak that we can be proud of. A Sarawak that is the growth engine of Malaysia and an example for others to aspire and emulate.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.
