Adenan says will retire after five years
LUNDU: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem confirms that he will retire from politics at the end of the next term.
When addressing some 3,000 crowd at a function here yesterday, Adenan, 72, said he would seek re-election for the 11th state election and his final term as an elected representative before calling it a day.
Adenan, who is the state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, is the coalition’s candidate for Tanjung Datu, where he is seeking a third term.
“I’m pleased I will represent Tanjung Datu for the third time. This will be my last term. I am already 72 and I will be 77 years old when the next (State Legislative Assembly) term is over.
“It’s time to rest, I want to spend time with my grandchildren,” Adenan said when officiating at the launch of the Batang Kayan Waterfront project and earth-breaking ceremony of the retaining wall project at Kampung Semunin Jaya.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and the ministry’s chief secretary Dato Sri Azizan Ahmad were also present.
Adenan was Muara Tuang assemblyman from 1978 till 2006 before he moved to Tanjung Datu. He has also served as Batang Sadong MP for one term.
Adenan said before retiring from politics, he said he would want to leave behind many developments for Lundu to ensure continuous progress.
Touching on the 11 new state constituencies, he said nine of them were rural seats to further accelerate rural development.
“That is why I need a fiveyear mandate to finish all the projects and planning that I have started since becoming chief minister two years ago,” he said, while highlighting the 50point achievement and actions he had implemented.
He cited the abolishment of toll bridges, lower electricity tariff as well as a fixed RM1 ferry charge throughout the state as among policies he had introduced to ease the people’s burden.
On another note, Adenan stressed the importance to maintain close relationship with Putrajaya so that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak could help secure more fund for the state’s development.
He said Najib had visited Sarawak 49 times since becoming prime minister in 2009. During Najib’s ‘walkabouts’ in the past six years, he had announced project allocations totalling RM3 billion. This excluded RM16 billion for the building of the Sarawak stretch Pan Borneo Highway.
“The prime minister has visited Sarawak more than the previous five prime ministers combined. It is easy to request from Najib when compared to the one who ruled for 22 years,” Adenan said in reference to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Adenan also said the state would continue to request for more autonomy. It had been successful in some, particularly in the devolution of power.
“I need five years to achieve my objective before I retire for good,” he said.