Taib sings praises of his 'all are equal' policy
He is one of the most controversial figures in the Malaysian political landscape. Over the decades, he has grown from being a politician to being regarded as the undisputed ruler of the resource rich state of Sarawak.
He is one of the most controversial figures in the Malaysian political landscape. Over the decades, he has grown from being a politician to being regarded as the undisputed ruler of the resource rich state of Sarawak.
His protracted leadership has been marred by a slew of allegations, with detractors claiming that his family fortune runs into tens of billions of ringgit as the state lags behind in terms of development, with the indigenous communities being shortchanged.
However, Abdul Taib Mahmud, 77, sang praises of his administration when opening a shopping mall in Kota Samarahan this morning.
Taib said the policy of giving equal opportunities to all Sarawakians to succeed and eventually contribute back to society had been the foundation for the state to witness a radical transformation over the last three decades.
The policy he introduced upon helming the state in 1981, he said, had wiped out all racial and religious prejudices to pave the way for Sarawak people to work together in an harmonious environment.
Apart from that, he said, the policy had also helped to address the issue of small populations living in scattered groups and to harness their potential to build up the state.
"What we have achieved today shows that when our people are given the chance (to work together), we can go up very well," Taib is quoted as saying by Bernama .
He said as Sarawak was now gearing towards becoming a high-income state by 2030, the new generation would have to continue preserving the harmonious atmosphere.
Taib said the success of Kota Samarahan, his former parliamentary constituency, in emerging from an unknown place into a thriving town also showed the willingness of Sarawakians to use their capabilities for the good of their communities.
As a member of parliament for Kota Samarahan between 1968 and 2008, Taib said, the development that had taken place in the constituency was beyond his own expectations.
"I have laid the foundation and thank God I have been able to do so (to enable the development to take place)," he added.
