Adenan will sink if he sticks close to Najib, says DAP leader

Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has made the wrong move by binding himself with beleaguered Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in an effort to woo the support of Sarawakians in the coming state election.

DAP national political education director Liew Chin Tong said this is because Najib is equavalent to the goods and services tax (GST) in the eyes of the people who have been suffering under the system’s implementation from last April.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, Liew said he was puzzled with Adenan's change of position, from maintaining a healthy distance from Najib previously to now openly backing the scandal-plagued prime minister.

In December last year, Adenan said Sarawak BN would continue to support Najib as the prime minister has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing in relation to 1MDB.

Last week, Adenan openly said Najib is a great national leader and he should be the prime minister of Malaysia "until the end of the world".

"He so loves Sarawak, is concerned about us that we too love him and hope that he can be PM until the end of the world," Adenan had told the crowd at a rally.

However, Liew (photo) said this would do Adenan no good, particularly as the chief minister begins to lose shine when the actual polling day arrives.

"Adenan has built up the momentum since he assumed office (in February 2014). But something seems to have gone wrong in the past two months. Of course, there is the problem of the flood. He seems to have lost his shine.

"So, I cannot comprehend his strategy to bind himself closely to Najib," Liew said.

'Iban, Chinese votes affected'

"While the people may not be affected by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and RM2.6 billion fiasco, GST has impacted them. Everywhere I go (in Sarawak), the people are complaining; the impact runs deep.

"So, when Adenan binds himself to Najib, this becomes a problem.

"This is not good for Adenan, as Najib is (synonymous with) GST. Now there is a problem with Iban votes. Najib will bring down Chinese votes when he is with Adenan.

"The message behind (the relationship) is Najib is quite concerned about (BN not having a firm grip on the) 25 parliamentary seats in the state," said Liew, who is also the MP for Kluang.

Sarawak BN won 25 Parliament seats out of 31 in the 2013 general election and secured 55 state seats out of 71 in the 2011 state election.

Liew is of the view that Najib needs Adenan more - to save the prime minister’s shaken command - even more than Adenan needs Najib.

Local discourse for Najib abandoned

Sarawak BN may even consider dumping Najib for good and working with the Save Malaysia consensus if Najib becomes a liability to them and causes them to lose more seats in the next state election and the 14th general election.

Adenan has abandoned his local discourse for Najib, and may slow down his efffort in the final laps.

"Maybe what he has in mind is what Najib will give him. But what he wants instead?" Liew asked.

"With the state election around the corner and the state legislative assembly expected to be dissolved anytime, Adenan has yet to resolve the seat negotiation among BN parties, and this would not have happened during his predecessor Abdul Taib Mahmud's era.

"This only shows that his momentum is weakening," Liew concluded, adding that this is still going to be a tough fight for the opposition.

He admitted that Adenan would have had the absolute advantage if he had dissolved the state legislative assembly one year ago, when there was no GST and Najib wasn't quite a burden to the Sarawak BN then. -Mkini