The
newly minted Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem has been chief minister for
less than two years, but yet, he has done many things that have earned him
respect and adoration.
Adenan
did not wait long to tell the people that he meant business after assuming
power from “strongman” Abdul Taib Mahmud. He declared a war on illegal logging,
stopped new timber and plantation concessions, and spoke critically against
racial and religious extremism. Adenan has quickly distinguished himself as an
“unorthodox” politician in mainstream Malaysian politics.
If
the recent survey by Merdeka Centre is anything to go by, it is clear that
Adenan is a popular leader among the people of various demographic backgrounds.
With such popularity, would Adenan be able to repeat – or to do even better –
electorally than his predecessor? It may be too early to say but most analysts
agree that as long as Adenan is at the helm, Sarawak will be in the BN’s good
hands.
Most
people in Sarawak will tell that they like Adenan and will vote for him. They do
not mind if Adenan is still supporting Prime Minister Najib Razak or the BN. As
far as they are concerned, it is Adenan’s leadership that really matters. Adenan’s
decision to attend the highly anticipated IACC conference has elevated his name
further with some hoping him to take a more prominent national role to improve
the government’s diminishing reputation.
Adenan
also appears to be popular in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. I met people in
Peninsular who told me they liked Adenan for “doing the right thing”. In Sabah,
people hold Adenan in high regard for speaking up for Sarawak’s rights in the
federation. During one of his visits to Sabah, he remarked that he admired
Sabah’s forestry conservation efforts, but was quick to say that Sarawak not
would follow Sabah in allowing the influx of foreigners – especially illegal
immigrants -- into the state.
While
it is too early to assess Adenan’s electoral chances and whether or not Sarawak’s
future will be brighter under the 71-year-old leader, Adenan’s rise to power
can tell us why there is so much excitement about the new Sarawak chief
minister.
Adenan’s
promising return came at the time when people were losing trust in the
government and wanted good leadership from political leaders. They wanted the
government to be more open, to tackle corruption head-on and to lead with a
strong sense of accountability. After taking over as chief minister, Adenan came
to portray himself as a leader who understood the people’s expectations.
Of
course, they are people who say that Adenan’s populist approach is not more
than an attempt to shore up support for the upcoming state election. Whether or
not this is the case, Adenan’s rise to prominence shows us that the people want
good leaders from both sides of the political divides.
The
ruling government must accept the fact that only with good leaders and
leadership will they be able to regain the trust and confidence of the people. In
the same way, the opposition must not be too excited about changing the
government as without good leaders and leadership, their so-called agenda of
reform will go nowhere.
The
ruling government and opposition must train leaders with the heart of building
the nation based on the principles of good governance and accountability. Adenan
may not be a perfect leader, but he deserves our praise for doing what is right
for the people and the country. 
