Abang Johari signals possible exit as Sarawak premier

Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg has hinted that this could be his final year in office, saying the time will eventually come for him to step aside.

The 76-year-old, who has been premier and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president since January 2017, said the party was preparing a new generation of leaders to ensure a smooth transition, Dayak Daily reported.

Abang Johari said leadership succession was inevitable, and PBB had a system to identify and train potential successors.

“Perhaps this is my final year. You cannot go against nature, even if your heart is young,” he said at PBB’s northern Sarawak special convention in Miri.

“Leaders change. There comes a time when we say thank you, I am stepping aside, and someone new replaces me. We have to train our successors.”

He added that the party’s succession plan was not focussed on a single individual but involved developing younger leaders across its divisions.

Abang Johari stressed that PBB’s longevity depended on its ability to continuously develop disciplined leaders who understood the needs of their communities and could safeguard Sarawak’s political stability.

“PBB will always be there because we have a system to rejuvenate the party. But I will make the decision (to leave) when the time comes,” he said.