Much have been written about the 'rising sons' of political leaders in Peninsular Malaysia.

Today, over in Sarawak, talks of a 'rising son' has begun with the expected foray into active politics by Sulaiman Abdul Taib, the younger son of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Sulaiman, a corporate figure, is set to take up the vice-president's post in Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth at its meeting in Miri next week, according to reliable sources.

PBB Youth acting head Abdul Karim Hamzah, a state assemblyperson and chairperson of Borneo Development Corporation, has publicly announced that he would not be seek re-election to the Youth chief post "in order to give way to new faces."

Abdul Karim, peviously Youth deputy head, took over the acting post earlier this year when Deputy Transport Minister Douglas Uggah stepped down to become PBB senior vice-president.

Petra Jaya MP and lawyer Fadillah Yusof is expected to be the next PBB Youth leader with Daniel Kanyan, a political secretary to the chief minister and son of a senior PBB leader Kenneth Kanyan, is tipped to take over as PBB Youth deputy leader.

Faded from corporate scene

However, attention will be on Sulaiman, formerly RHB Bank chairperson, in becoming a new vice-president in the youth wing.

"It's the beginning of his involvement in active politics," a senior party leader told Malaysiakini.

"It's a significant development for obvious reasons, because he is Taib's son and has been seen at several by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia," he added.

Sulaiman faded from the corporate scene after he stepped down from his bank post and left the running of the family-controlled Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) Bhd to others to go back to the US to continue his studies.

In August 2005, Bank Negara did not approve Sulaiman's re-appointment as chairperson of banking group RHB Capital Bhd but has consented to his appointment as non-independent and non-executive director for a two-year period.

Sulaiman is also notoriously famed for alleged involvement in assaulting former television personality Avaa Vanja Ramli in a Kuala Lumpur nightspot a few years ago.

In her police report made after she was assaulted o­n April 18, 2003, Avaa named Sulaiman as her boyfriend who had allegedly pushed and strangled her in a popular bistro in the national capital.

Sulaiman is married to Anisa Chan, daughter of Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Dr George Chan. The couple has four children.

It is widely believed that Sulaiman's uncle Ali Mahmud who is presently the state assemblyperson for Muara Tuang is warming the seat for his nephew.

Sulaiman's name has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for PBB in the coming parliamentary elections.