‘Successor would find it difficult to follow in Adenan’s footsteps’
KUCHING: Sarawak will certainly miss a Chief Minister of Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s calibre. Minister of Youth and Sports and Solidarity Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said it would not be easy for his successor to do what Adenan did.
“Of course we have good leaders to succeed him, but whoever takes over would find it difficult to follow in his footsteps.
He speaks from his heart with boldness and even dared to step on others’ toes, which not many people dare do,” he said when met after paying his last respects to Adenan at the State Mosque here yesterday.
Manyin, who is PBB vicepresident, said Adenan had never given any indication on his successor and therefore the new Chief Minister would have to be chosen by the party’s caucus.
“We all expect him to finish his term and that is why there is no indication on who will replace him. We have just held our state election and who would have thought that he will leave us so soon,” he said.
Manyin believed that the state had lost a courageous and intelligent leader. He said for the past almost three years he had showed his great leadership which was accepted by the people as manifested in the recent state election.
“His demise is also a great loss to the Bidayuh community. We lost him because right from the very beginning he had showed strong support for the Bidayuh community. He had been a good friend to the Bidayuhs. We have actually got quite a lot of things from him. He has been very approachable,” Manyin said.
On a personal note, Manyin said Adenan was his school mate adding that “I used to admire his article in our school magazine. So I knew him right from the school days. When I was teacher, he was one of those who brought me into politics.
“For the first five years in my political career he was not only supporting me morally, politically but also financially. Actually I’m quite indebted to him and he was the man I don’t need to make appointment to see because he is my very close friend.”