Adenan: winning the people’s hearts

WHEN Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem became Chief Minister, many expected that he would be protective of Sarawak rights but even his most ardent supporters would have been surprised at the zeal with which he has gone about his task. Single-handedly he set in motion a push for recognition of Sarawak as a founding partner in the formation of Malaysia and not just the 13th state within the Federation.

Whichever side of the political divide you stand, you cannot help but admire the man for what he has done. He has made Sarawakians walk with pride and made those who walk the corridors of power in Putrajaya accord us the respect which has so long been missing.

Adenan has a remarkable empathy for the sentiments of the people, especially Sarawakians who love peace and harmony. He has struck the right chord with religious moderation and a denunciation of extremists. After the debacle over the ‘Allah’ issue in Peninsular Malaysia, how can Christians not appreciate Adenan for his open stance that they can use the word ‘Allah’ here as they have done for hundreds of years?

Chinese cannot be cal led ‘ pendatangs’ in Sarawak. Chinese education now receives state funding although education is federally funded. Adenan did not need to give a sen but he allocated RM4 million last year, RM5 million this year and promised RM6 million next year. Single-handedly, he has taken care of the annual deficit of Chinese schools.

UEC is now recognised in Sarawak, a cry that has long been ignored by the powers that be at federal level.

Dayaks are no longer derisively referred to as lain-lain in their own homeland.

And the list goes on. The fact is that Adenan has won the hearts of the people because he has the uncanny ability to feel how they feel.

Of late, a leader of a political party has attempted an unusual tactic to gain support from the voters by claiming that he is being bullied and has appealed to the voters to save him. He says that he has saved lives before and now appeals to be saved from the bullies.

Politicians normally portray themselves as leadership material upon whom the people can depend. They are strong and capable, able to defend the weak and downtrodden. They are the champions of the masses, the knight in shining armour.

This pol itician portrays himself as a person who is being bullied, who needs to be saved from the unidentified bully and who seemingly cannot stand up to the bully on his own. Such a politician is surely the antithesis of our Chief Minister, who carries the dreams and expectations of the whole of Sarawak on his broad shoulders without flinching.

You would never hear Adenan whinge that he is being bullied or appeal to be saved from bullies because we expect him to be our champion, strong, fearless and unyielding in the face of adversity. We would go to war alongside him because he would look the enemy in the eye without blinking. He is certainly not a leader that can be bullied by anyone.