Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg speaks during a press conferencein Kuching November 5, 2021. – Picture courtesy of Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas)
JULAU, Nov 20 – Youngsters joining politics have been advised not to be hasty in their chase for positions so that they will not “sink” midway.
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said they should, instead, practice patience in their political journey.
“Leaders come and go. I replaced Tok Nan (the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem). One day I will step down and there will be a new group of youths waiting to be the replacement,” said the 71-year-old, who is also the Sarawak Chief Minister.
Abang Johari, who is also the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, said this at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Nanga Lasi bridge construction project here today.
Without elaborating, he said the PBB, who met in Kuching last night, would field many new faces as candidates in the coming 12th Sarawak state election.
He said the PBB was always training the back-up group of youths to replace the existing leaders.
The chief minister said Sarawak was fortunate to have fewer political “quarrels” as the various races in the state understood one another.
“This is why I do not want outside parties to enter Sarawak because they will always ‘fan’ (the racial issue) so that we will quarrel,” he explained.
He stressed that as long as GPS was in power, the people and the state would always be its priority.
“Many development projects and programmes are being carried out in the Julau area, including the construction of roads, bridges and the opening of land, which means the future for the people here will be bright,” he said, adding that the people must give the GPS a new mandate in the 12th state election for such developments to continue.
Work on the 100-metre long, RM5 million Nanga Lasi Bridge will begin next January and is expected to be completed within a year.
The bridge is being built to replace the existing suspension bridge for the benefit of about 2,250 residents in Nanga Lasi. – Bernama