An analysis by See Chee How, Sarawak PKR vice chairman
KUCHING, June 6, 2014: True to the words of the popular
proverb, our Chief Minister Adenan Satem
was “given a lot of slacks in his first 100 days”.
In his honeymoon, a metaphor of the
first 100 days since he was appointed the chief minister of Sarawak, he has
enjoyed the customarily high level of public support.
The high hopes for what he will be able
to accomplish, the benefit of doubts given to him that his administration will
govern in ways that they like becomes a trust in the new chief minister with
and in the promises that he had made in his inauguration speech.
Adenan vows to be a chief minister for
all Sarawakians, to protect the popular aspirations for state autonomy, special
rights and privileges under the Malaysia Agreement, higher oil and gas royalties.
He further promises to bar the entry of
racists and religious bigots and declare that there will be no implementation
of hudud in Sarawak and no seizure of Holy Scriptures. All these bode well with
the general Sarawakians.
He can certainly reflect back on a sweet
honeymoon of which he has led the state BN to a resounding victory in the
Balingian by-election and that the Sarawak state assembly had unanimously voted
in favour of a motion supporting the state government’s effort to request for a
revision of the tripartite petroleum agreement that the federal government
increases the oil and gas royalty payment to Sarawak from the present 5% to
20%.
But the honeymoon is not without
bitterness as the new chief minister and his new administration is perceived as
interim and a continuation of the old administration that is under intense
scrutiny and criticism, both internally and internationally.
It is of little help to him when his
predecessor appeared together with him in major functions and Adenan is deemed
to be playing second fiddle to the Governor.
His mantle as the BN state chief is also
briskly tested with his cabinet ministers and assistant ministers joining a
newly formed party and mounting the exodus of members from SPDP and SUPP, a
move that has provoked strenuous opposition from three state BN coalition
parties.
To sum up the 100-days performance, it
is suitable to recite the classical: “While there are no major accomplishments
yet, there are also no failures, disappointments or liabilities.”
Now that honeymoon is over, and there
will be no more slacks for him, the new chief minister must deliver his
promises and be the chief administration to fulfil the hopes of Sarawakians
that things can change and their lives improve under the new administration.
First and foremost, the new chief minister
must swiftly and resolutely walk out from the shadow of the previous
administration, taking steps to counter the general perception on the state
government which is by and large contemptuous, that wealth generated from the
state were not managed or distributed properly and fairly, that government
projects and grants benefited a handful and there are weaknesses in the state’s
development progress.
To stamp his marks and that of his
administration as clean, transparent and accountable, and in anticipation of
the positive outcome in the increase in the payment of oil and gas royalty or
compensation in lieu of our oil and gas rights, the new chief minister should
set a deadline to constitute a state sovereign wealth funds for the perpetual
purpose of fulfilling the rights and benefits of all Sarawakians in terms of
education, health, rural development and generally to improve and uplift their
lives and livelihood.
The new chief minister should also
institutionalise the mechanism and process in his administration to ensure good
governance, that immediate and close family members and party affiliates are
not awarded development projects except through open and honest tender and
biddings to ensure fair distribution of opportunities and wealth from the state
and federal government initiatives.
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