Name Kuching airport after Adenan Satem, says Linggi

KUCHING: A former Sarawak state minister, Tan Sri Leonard Linggi Jugah, suggested on Wednesday the Kuching International Airport here be named after former Chief Minister, the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

Linggi said the legacy of Adenan, who died in January, should live on as during his short term as chief minister he was loved by all irrespective of race and religion in the state.

“It is truly a fitting honour to name the Kuching International Airport after Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem,” he said at a forum on unity in Sarawak here organised by Yayasan Perpaduan Sarawak.

Linggi said Sarawak have had good quality leaders over the years

It is truly a fitting honour to name the Kuching International Airport after Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem. Tan Sri Leonard Linggi Jugah, former Sarawak state minister

who are broad-minded and hold liberal views thus enabling them to come out with inclusive policies that strengthened racial and religious harmony in the state.

He said past and present chief ministers like the late Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, the late Adenan and current chief minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg studied in the elite multi-racial St Joseph’s School here which was the ‘ nursery for racial and religious unity’ that Sarawak is famous for.

“Our current chief minister Datuk Amar Johari is every inch a practitioner of multi-racialism and hopefully our future leaders will follow this legacy,” said Linggi, who is the son of Sarawak’s legendary Dayak leader, the late Tun Temenggong Jugah anak Barieng.

He spoke of a typical Dayak longhouse where he was born as a place that provided the natural setting for unity.

“Unity is the essential ingredient in longhouse living where there is complete cultural understanding, trust and shared values and with very inclusive attitude.

He said one unique feature of Sarawak is that despite having so many ethnic communities, no one race forms the majority with the three largest ethnic groups comprising the Dayak, Malay and Chinese making up almost the same numbers.

“Politically, no one single race in Sarawak could form the government on its own,” he added.

Linggi said racial and religious extremism and bigotry could threaten Malaysia’s future and everyone must play a role in striving to strengthen a sense of belonging to the nation.