Baru: Last year, Taib said Sarawak would be richest state by 2020, but now he said Sarawak would be richest state by 2030. Has he moved the goalposts by another 10 years?
Today’s headlines in the Sarawak Tribune proclaimed the latest fanciful edict from Abdul Taib Mahmud: Sarawak will be the ‘Richest State by 2030’. This was the subject of his speech at the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations’ 2012 Chinese New Year Gathering and 33rd anniversary dinner.
The initial thought that springs to mind is this: Has he become so desperately short of ideas that he is recycling his speeches from 1981 when he became the Chief Minister of Sarawak? This is the sort of promise a fresh-faced dewey-eyed leader would make upon assuming office, when he is full of vigour and inspiration, and driven by visions of development and progress for his state and people. That Taib Mahmud should still be spouting his empty promises 31 years after taking office is proof that he has been and is a failure as leader of the State. Let him answer these simple questions: Why is it that you have failed to achieve this status for Sarawak in the 31 years you have been Chief Minister? What exactly have you and your ministers been doing all these years aside from enriching yourselves and your families? Why should we give you and BN another 18 years when you have failed us so badly for the last 31 years? How pathetic and how offensive to us that you should have the gall to try to keep on deceiving the people whom you have let down so abysmally.
In his speech Taib called on the people to look at the success rather than the failure in the past. What success is he referring to? The most significant statistic and one that speaks volumes about Taib’s reign is this: Sarawak has the dubious distinction, nay, the humiliation and ignominy of being the state richest in natural resources but at the same time, one of the poorest states in the country. The dubious distinction for Sarawak is in having a Chief Minister who is reputed to be wealthier than the Queen of England. The shocking revelations made over the past year about the Taib regime’s wealth, businesses and properties in 25 countries around the world is an indictment of the grand corruption that has blighted this once pristine land of noble people.
As I recall, in April last year Taib made the same promise of Sarawak becoming the richest State in Malaysia when unveiling the State BN electoral manifesto, except that last year, the target year was 2020. Why has the goalpost been moved forward 10 years in the space of less than a year? Does Taib actually keep track of the poppycock he feeds to the masses? Does he actually have a plan in place or is he making up stories in his old age?
In his speech at the dinner, Taib also said that every community in the spirit of give and take can find a place in our struggle to build a better future. Many Sarawakians can attest that Taib and his family and cronies are exceptionally accomplished in the practice of ‘taking’, amassing obscene amounts of wealth from land-grabs and awarding contracts to family-controlled companies. They have effectively robbed the people of their lands and livelihood so that the once-proud natives are reduced to struggling with poverty and hardship.
Having expressed my incredulity at his gall and pomposity, I have to agree however, with one point made by Taib Mahmud. He is absolutely spot-on in saying that Sarawak will be the richest state in Malaysia by 2030 (or even 2020) because the state has better leaders coming up in future. What he omitted to say, was that these leaders are from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. Our leaders are people oriented, and not self-serving opportunists like many of the current BN politicians. Our leaders are motivated by altruism and not by greed. Our leaders are committed to undoing the damage done by Taib Mahmud and his ilk. Our leaders are determined to make up for years of neglect and abuse of the natives by the government. Our leaders have policies to develop and prosper the people and state of Sarawak. I fully support the call of Taib Mahmud to help these leaders so that they can come up and take the challenges to build our country together. A Pakatan Rakyat government will succeed where the BN government has failed!
As for Taib Mahmud, we have this to say to him: There is a way to move the goalpost back to 2020 for Sarawak to become the richest state - give back the wealth you and your family have been accused of plundering from the state and people and resign from your office now. Sarawakians have woken up to the bitter truth of your misrule. We have had enough.
Baru Bian
Chairman
PKR Sarawak/
State Assemblyman
N70 Ba’ Kelalan
