Christine Chew cut a disconsolate figure as she positioned herself at the entrance of the state mosque, Masjid Jamek, in Petra Jaya on Thursday.
She wrapped her right arm around a bouquet of white lilies. Her left hand was struggling between adjusting her black head scarf and wiping away her tears.
“White lilies symbolise sacredness, they reflect the traits of a great leader, someone like Tok Nan.
“I could not sleep and scoured the town this morning just to get this bouquet for him,” she said referring to the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Sarawak’s former chief minister, who died last Wednesday.
Former national sprinter Watson Nyambek later made his away into the mosque after a 13-hour-drive from Miri. He appeared tired and dispirited, but not from the long haul. Like most Sarawakians, Watson was still getting over the shock of Adenan’s passing.
About 60km away, a devastated Lily Dany, who runs her keropok stall in Lundu on a daily basis, stayed at home that day, glued to the television watching the coverage on the state funeral.
And, on social media, Facebook, Instagram and the like, all had condolence messages. It was as if the whole of Malaysia was grieving over the loss of much beloved leader.
Adenan’s widow, Puan Sri Jamilah Anu, shared a music video Di Pintu Syurga (loosely translated at heaven’s door) on her Facebook page, a poignant ballad by singer Dayang Nurfaizah about a woman grieving the loss of her lover and prayed that they would be reunited at heaven’s door.
There are many more tear-jerking untold stories of how Sarawakians are grieving the death of their beloved statesman.
As written many times on media platforms, Adenan, Sarawak’s fifth chief minister, left behind a great legacy for the people in the Land of the Hornbills.
Among the highlights of his career were his commitment to preserving the forests by declaring an all-out-war against timber thieves. An admirer of British naturalist Sir David Attenborough, such efforts earned Adenan praise from local and international environmentalists.
His vision to see rural folk earning the same income as their fellow friends in the urban areas, which was manifested in rural transformation programmes, earned him kudos and support from the people from all races and religions in this diverse state.
In less than three years, the state administration under his leadership had implemented and adopted many principles and policies for the betterment of Sarawakians.
Adenan, known for his no-nonsense yet humble approach, had drawn up an ambitious plan for a prosperous Sarawak. The plan was relayed to the people in the simplest language possible for them to understand and embrace that ambition.
There was never a dull moment whenever Adenan took to the stage during public and private functions. Apart from singing his favourite Can’t Help Falling in Love or The Young Ones, Adenan would poke fun, either at himself or others, reducing his crowd into stitches, all the while stressing the need for the state to be developed. Such antics won him the support of youth.
“Oooo Haaa!” chanted Adenan, as how he would begin his speech. The last time he did this was during the launch of the final eight work packages for phase one of the Pan-Borneo Highway in Miri last month.
“The road that we are building now will have an economic consequence… open up the country similar to the North-South Expressway (in the peninsula),” Adenan had said of the multi-billion-ringgit project.
It’s only been slightly more than a week since his passing, and for Sarawakians, life has moved on, but Adenan’s presence is very much in the background. Al-fatihah, Tok Nan, you are deeply missed.
Sarawak now has a new chief minister, Datuk Amar Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg, who was sworn in last Friday, and who must carry on the legacy left by his predecessor. Apart from the imminent reshuffling of the state cabinet, Abdul Rahman Zohari’s plate is already full, preparing Sarawak for the impending by-election for Tanjung Datu, a state seat retained by Adenan since 2006.
Winning the by-election will be a good start for Sarawak BN, leaders and the people of Sarawak. This will, not only prove their solidarity behind Abdul Rahman Zohari, but also to ensure that the good work and legacy left by Adenan would continue.
Adib Povera, born in Kuala Lumpur and raised in Perak, is NST’s Sarawak bureau chief. A nature lover, he never tires of discovering new sights in the Land of the Hornbills