The rise of Adenan and leadership

It is rare to see a leader who has achieved so much in such a short time. John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln and the likes are among leaders who have done remarkable things before their reign of power ended abruptly.

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.