I refer to the Malaysiakini report Anwar: Opposition will do well in Sarawak. As the hornbill state is one big state that can elect a lot of parliamentarians come the next general elections, I suppose the former deputy premier is banking on a big win big in order for a chance for him to become the next premier of this country.

There is some element of truth in Anwar’s statement that the opposition can do well in the next polls. The long standing chief minister of Sarawak has overstayed his welcome. In the last state polls, the opposition parties, especially DAP, managed to win the heart and minds of the Chinese voters. Even PKR managed to win a state seat and this swing to the opposition might catch on in the peninsular later on.

There seems to be a lot of disquiet among Sarawakians against their chief minister who still does not want to step down after 25 years. Besides, he refuses to name a candidate who can replace him after helming the state for more than 25 years. His years of service is fraught with the misuse of power to enrich himself and his family members.

One can see that Taib Mahmud has ruled the state with an iron fist and those who had the potential to replace him were either sidelined or are now in a political limbo as the wily chief minister knows how to play his political cards well in Sarawak. But time is not on his side and the younger voters who are more educated might vote differently in the coming polls if he and his old underlings do not make way soon.

Voters need to show the door to those incumbents who have overstayed their welcome and whose terms of office are marred with corruption. There are at present several Jurassic-era politicians whose political life has expired but who still want to cling to high political posts.

Our nation is made up of younger people who were born after independence. It goes without saying that the young with better education levels and leadership skills should be nominated by both the ruling and opposition’s parties to lead our nation to greater heights of prosperity.

As the saying goes, politicians only think about the next elections while statesmen think of the next generations. Decent Malaysians should use their votes wisely and elect those who have the nation’s best interests at heart rather than their personal interests. Vote out the corrupt incumbents who refuse to step down. You know who they are.