YDP post is Najib’s trump card

It’s a game of political poker between Taib Mahmud and Najib Tun Razak.

On the table stacked high are 400 MACC files comprising reports against Taib for corruption and Najib’s desire to have a new order in Sarawak similar to the Sabah political model where the federal government is very much in control of state affairs.

Between Putrajaya and Petrajaya lies the Governor’s post – Yang Di Pertua Negri – a position which Najib vis-a-vis the King ‘controls’.

Sarawak government’s two top ranked posts are that of Governor and Chief Minister.

The former has authority on specific state matters while the latter holds political and executive power.

Hence since Taib became the Chief Minister in 1981, the heads of state have been his own trusted men, one of whom was his uncle Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub.

This was to ensure that he would continue to hold power without any political turbulence and constitutional crisis should the YDP exercise his power according to the state constitution and override the directive of the incumbent CM.

The YDP post is quite authoritative and can even overshadow the powers of the CM depending on how he exercises his authority.

The CM comes from the Bumiputera wing of Taib’s Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) which, incidentally, has been a minority party since 1970s.

As such any political crisis within the wing and party could jeopardise his position.

As such to ensure the continuity of PBB-led government and have aboslute control over the  state, the party must hold both the CM and the YDP posts.

Will it be Adenan?

The current YDP Tun Abang Sallehuddin Barieng has held the post from 1977 till 1981 and was reappointed for a second time from 2001 till today.

Tun Sallehuddin is 92 and his recent reappointment was extended only to Feb 28, 2014.

Taib, who is now 78 and having held the CM’s post for the past 33 years,  is said to be in poor health.

Taib has identified his possible successors – Abang Johari Tun Openg, Adenan Satem and Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

Sarawak should not repeat the mistake of Indonesia after the fall of president Suharto, where the post of the president was given to an old frail man who could not perform his duties as required.

If Taib choses Adenan, who is reported to be seriously ill, to succeed him than the latter would be the Gus Dur of Sarawak.

But it would still be a Taib victory even if he is not appointed the new YDP.

This is because Adenan will look after Taib’s political and business interests.

But if he can appoint his own man as the new CM and still get the YDP post, then Najib is the loser in the power game .

At Taib’s age, no right thinking and responsible leader should be seeking or bartering for another post.

The sensible think to do is to hand over the reins of power to others.

But Taib fears the possibility of his pandora box being forced open.

Hence his insistence on being given the post of the governor in exchange for his resignation.

This is the message that he has been conveying to Najib these past years.

Taib believes that he has the upper hand in the game.

Najib’s YDP trump card

But it is Najib who’s really got the trump card on this table.

In late June 2013 while Najib was overseas, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) held a press conference to announce that it was in the process of finalising investigations on 400 files of Taib’s wrong doings.

It was to pressure Taib to quit his post. But adamant Taib refused.

Then in December last year Najib made another move. He chose not to extend Tun Sallehuddin’s tenure beyond Feb 28 this year.

The move surprised Taib and showed clearly that Putrajaya was closing in on him.

It was hoped that both these moves would force Taib to resign as CM leaving him little time to negotiate for the YDP post.

Taib is prepared to resign but not before he is given the YDP post so that he can appoint his own man as the new CM and block Putrajaya’s scheme to appoint their own candidate.

Putrajaya’s best bet would be Abang Johari who will play according to their tune if the CM’s post is handed to him on a silver platter.

This would then seed a long term strategy to push Umno’s agenda in the state.

But will it work in Sarawak and within PBB?