Scare Taib into fulfilling your rights, says Salangor MB

Stephen Tiong, Malaysiakini

Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has come under fire from Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim for his unwillingness to step down, despite being in power for the last 30 years.

“Stepping down is the biggest challenge Taib has to face, and I hope that the people will answer this challenge by electing leaders whom they believe have the interests of the people at heart and one who will lead the state to greater heights and prosperity.

“There is no need to be agitated or frightened by Taib’s refusal because we do not want to answer him by arguing with him. The answer for the people of Sarawak lies in the ballot boxes,” he said in an interview with Radio Free Sarawak yesterday.

He said the people’s answer must be the election of new leaders and team who cared about Sarawak and the people, not the ones who were looking after the interests of only certain leaders.

“Electing new leaders and team is the biggest challenge that the people of Sarawak must answer for themselves,” he said, adding that there was no point in arguing over the matter with anyone.

Khalid also criticised Taib for saying that he had not found a capable successor to be the next chief minister.

“In my dealings with Sarawak over the last 30 years, I believe that there are many Sarawakians who are capable, if not better than Taib, to be the chief minister.

“I had never been the menteri besar of Selangor before or involved in politics for a long time (before becoming MB), but I feel that there are a number of successful Sarawakians in the corporate world and with the little bit of support, I think they can deliver.”

He said the successor must be one having the necessary qualifications and a person of high quality and integrity.

Khalid also said Sarawakians must search for ways to scare Taib (left) so he would step down.

He said the ordinary people in Sarawak did not get what rightly belonged to them under the Taib administration, and he felt that this needed to be corrected.

“I am of the opinion that the wishes of the people to own land, for example, is very justified,” he added, stating that Sarawak was rich with abundant natural resources.

It is not right if the government is not brave and does not return the rights of the people, he added.

“The time has come for the people to make the necessary correction which must be for the development and future of Sarawak and that of Malaysia,” he said.

Khalid has urged the people of Sarawak to stand up and be prepared to change the BN government in the coming Sarawak election.

“But I don’t expect the people in Sarawak to go for a change as what were happening in Tunisia, or soon-to-be in Egypt, because there is no need to (do so).

“Their power lie in their hands, that is, the power to use their votes in the state election,” he said, stating that the power they possessed decided their destiny and that of their children and country.

“I feel that we need to bring a change in Malaysia. The Barisan leaders said that they are championing the cause of the people, but the people have not benefited from the struggle,” he stressed.

Khalid also urged the Sarawak government to take the cue from the Selangor government by coming up with a statement of accounts on the state’s assets.

He said such accounts should record how many acres of land Sarawak has and their worth, the value of protected forests and when trees were felled illegally and how much losses were incurred.

He said Sarawak should also have statements of accounts of its oil and gas and their worth.

“The time is right for the people of Sarawak to raise questions on their assets, and what benefits have accrued to them from these natural resources,” he said.

The problem with Sarawak was that there was no transparency in the Taib administration regarding the state’s assets.