Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) caucus in giving the power to Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to appoint his successor is no longer relevant, said political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir.
Instead, he said, Taib, who is also the party's president, should go by the seniority in the party in picking his successor.
"Based on seniority in the party, PBB deputy president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg (pix) is the most qualified person to lead the state," Jeniri, who is also Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) senior lecturer (politics and history), told Bernama here on Sunday.
Jeniri said if Sarawak's Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan or former federal Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi were picked, then it would hurt the feelings of senior party leaders and create unhappiness among the members or even split the party.
Under the circumstances, he said, it would be a wise move for Taib to name Abang Johari as his successor to avoid any split in the party and the Barisan Nasional (BN) at the state level.
Apart from being senior in terms of party hierarchy and having a proven track record as a state minister and PBB deputy president, he said, Abang Johari who serves as Sarawak Tourism and Housing Minister, was also the people's choice as he was seen to be friends of all races.
He had also proven his popularity when he defeated Sarawak Special Functions Minister and PBB information chief Tan Sri Adenan Satem for the party's deputy president post during one of the party's elections.
On Adenan's potential as the next chief minister, Jeniri said he had been a trusted ally of Taib.
"Adenan is a brilliant leader but the state and the party need healthy leaders. I am not against Adenan as the chief minister but his health does not warrant him to take up the position," he said.
Jeniri believed Taib would resign by this month's end as many opined he had overstayed in his position.
Jeniri also did not favour the idea that Taib would either appoint Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu or State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar as the acting chief minister.
"It would be awkward for him to pick someone to become the acting chief minister. He should give ample breathing space to the new chief minister in facing the state election in 2016," he added.
Taib, 78, announced his intention to step down as Sarawak's chief minister on Saturday at the PBB supreme council meeting here but during Sunday's meeting with state BN component leaders, he did not mention the exact date.
Meanwhile, Awang Tengah, one of the three aspirants previously mentioned by Taib, is still perceived by the people as a “junior” for the position while Jabu is said to have been ruled out as a candidate.
A former PBB supreme council member said it could be that Jabu was from the Pesaka wing but there was a possibility that Taib would name him as a 'neutral person' in the capacity of acting chief minister while the former goes on three months leave.
As acting chief minister, Jabu would recommend to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that Taib be appointed as the next Sarawak Yang diPertua Negeri when the current term of Yang diPertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng expires on February 28, he said.
"Then the by-election for the Balingian state constituency will be held as Taib must give up the seat and be appointed as the new Sarawak Yang diPertua Negeri.
"Effendi will have stand in the by-election as he has no state seat if Taib wants him to be the next chief minister," said the former party supreme council member.
Effendi, who retired from active politics in 2008, had been a state assemblyman from 1991 until 1999, Kuala Rejang Member of Parliament (1999–2006) and Senator in the Dewan Negara (2006–2012).
Astro Awani
Sun Feb 09 2014
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