It’s difficult being the leader of a developing country if you are at the mercy of people with negative comments and to whom you have to bow to their whims and fancies.
On May 9 last year, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg proved he was no rookie when he led the former state Barisan Nasional (BN) government to another success in GE14.
Despite this, there are still people out there trying to find fault with the new administration and this can be frustrating.
But Sarawak’s sixth Chief Minister has come a long way and can take it in his stride.
And he is well aware that you can’t please everyone.
Born on August 4, 1949 Abang Johari became chief minister on January 13, 2017 – two days after the sudden and unexpected demise of Pehin Sri Adenan Satem.
A descendant of the 1840s Malay aristocrat Datuk Patinggi Ali, Abang Jo, as his St Thomas’s school classmates call him, first served as Principal Political Secretary to the Chief Minister in 1982 before contesting in the state election the following year.
A popular Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) youth leader, Abang Jo went on to thrash Abang Ariffin Abang Sebli of Bersatu by a massive 8,596 vote majority – a record unmatched.
Having achieved excellent results, the popular 34-year-old Petra Jaya Malay was appointed as Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Community Development in 1984 for three years.
He was promoted to a full minister in 1987 by the then Chief Minister Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud after he served with excellence during the infamous “Ming Court” debacle, ensuring the coalition won by a narrow 28-20 seat margin.
From then on Abang Jo took on various portfolios such as Industrial Development, Tourism, Housing and Urbanisation as well as Arts and Culture and Minister of Penan Affairs.
He was a deputy chief minister before he succeeded Adenan.
But there was more in store for the son of Sarawak’s first Governor Tun Abang Openg. Despite leading Sarawak to another victory in last year’s general election, Abang Jo found himself in the Opposition.
As fate would have it, Sarawak was caught in a political struggle between two Malaysian political giants in the parliamentary election and as the Malay saying goes, when two elephants fight, the mousedeer gets trampled on!
In the 2018 general election, retired prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad led his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition to defeat the powerful BN coalition spearheaded by Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Even though the Sarawak BN coalition won the election in the state, their Kuala Lumpur BN coalition partners were ousted and Abang Jo and company found themselves in a situation.
Abang Jo & Co quickly reorganised and renamed their coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and disassociated themselves from the ultra-Malay Umno whose bad political ethics was the root cause for the federal BN’s defeat.
A year has passed and as the dust is beginning to settle, Abang Jo has come up with several innovations to ensure Kuching is keeping abreast with our counterparts in the peninsula.
One of his immediate priorities as chief minister was to ensure that the archaic transport system within and around Kuching City is improved to facilitate smoother and better travel.
As a result, he suggested the construction of a light rail system (LRT) to connect the heavily congested road between Kuching and Serian, Siburan and Kota Samarahan.
Initially, his detractors did not take the idea seriously, arguing that his priority was misplaced because Sarawak still had a communication problem, especially in the interior.
Since the naysayers felt the LRT was not feasible, our chief minister put the proposed Serian-Kuching LRT on the backburner and focused on other priorities.
However, the transport problem continues to affect motorists living on the periphery of the city prompting a journalist to bring up the issue last week at a press conference.
In a frank and down-to-earth manner Abang Jo reiterated that it was up to Sarawakians to decide whether they wanted to delve in the past or move ahead with the times.
“We want to bring this modern mode of transportation to Kuching. In Peninsular Malaysia they have LRT too, but if the people here don’t agree to it susah-lah (hard to implement),” he said.
Abang Jo explained that studies had shown that the Serian-Kuching LRT was feasible given the fact the massive traffic jams between Serian to Kuching was a daily problem.
“It’s up to the people. I want to be convinced that the people really want it…(but) for now the LRT will always be in our plan because we know that it is for a better future and the people will surely benefit from this initiative…the day when it becomes a reality,” he explained.
I must admit that I was one of the sceptics who thought it was unnecessary, but on reflection I think that the LRT could be the solution to the perennial massive traffic jams between the outskirts and the city proper.
A man of courage and conviction, Abang Jo is not one to mince his words and once he gets going, there is no holding him back.
Which brings me to the question of the poor communications system between Miri and the Baram interior and Lawas.
For almost 60 years, the Baram-Limbang-Lawas sector still depends on several hundred kilometres of timber tracks which have been converted into temporary roads.
Thankfully, Works Minister Baru Bian who is a Lun Bawang native from Long Semadoh in Lawas, says the interior will enjoy a network of brand-new roads starting from early next year.
In a texted message to me following an article entitled “A Ghost Town called Ba Kelalan” on the border village adjacent to Long Semadoh, Baru said that I would most probably have to swallow my words come 2020.
“You probably have to write another story about the golden era of excellent road communications in Ba Kelalan and the new road link between Baram, Lawas and Sabah,” he said.
Indeed, I believe Baru will keep his promise and deliver even though it sounds like a political gimmick given the fact that the next state election is only 24 months away.
Our rural folk especially the Orang Ulu people have waited too long and all the past promises seem to have rung hollow for too long.
But this time I think Baru Bian mean business.
So, let’s wait and see!
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
