I would have retired in 2007, says Taib

Bernama

Outgoing Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (pic) today said he had planned to retire in 2007, but decided to hold back his decision due to two ‘S’ factors.

The two ‘S’ factors were a crisis faced by the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and the formulation of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), a new development corridor in Sarawak which required precision planning to ensure its success, he disclosed.

“I wanted to retire way back. I had planned to retire in 2007 and I had the consensus of the leadership of PBB that I should groom (Tan Sri) Adenan Satem as my successor.

“All things were leading toward that direction, but unfortunately at that time, I saw a crisis brewing in SUPP. So I told Adenan, let’s postpone it because I don’t want you (Adenan) to take over as chief minister and inherit all kinds of problems,” he told Bernama during an interview at his residence here today.

Accompanied at the session by his wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi, Taib said two years ago he was once again ready to hand over the leadership to his successor, only to have the plan postponed yet again due to Adenan’s health.

“So I delayed it. A few months back I saw that Adenan was recovering well and I thought it was the right time.

“I saw the opportunity to hand over (the leadership) this year, just after the (May 2013) parliamentary election and long enough before the state election. It (the timing) will be more convenient for Adenan to take over and lead the new team,” he said.

Taib noted that although Sarawakians might be used to his style of leadership after 33 years as chief minister, he believed that Adenan could “fill in the gap easily”.

“The way he rules will probably be slightly different,” he said.

Taib is set to be the new Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak on March 1.