PETALING JAYA: The passing of former Sarawak governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud is a great loss to the people, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
In a Facebook post, Dr Wee who expressed his condolences to the family said Abdul Taib had contributed tremendously to the state during his tenure.
"My condolences to all the family members of the former Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud who passed away in Kuala Lumpur at 4.40am today.
"His passing is certainly a great loss to the country, especially the people of Sarawak because the late Abdul Taib was a person who brought great changes to ‘Bumi Kenyalang’ since taking over the leadership.
"May his soul be blessed," said Dr Wee.
Attached in his post was a photo of him and Abdul Taib taken on Dec 19, 2020.
Abdul Taib passed away at the age of 87.
His remains will be at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur before being brought back to Kuching, where a state funeral will be held at the New Sarawak Legislative Complex.
Abdul Taib was the last surviving member of the first post-independence state cabinet formed in 1963, when he was sworn in as the youngest state minister at the age of 27.
He also served as a federal minister in various capacities for 13 years, before his appointment as Sarawak's fourth Chief Minister on March 26, 1981.
Abdul Taib was often described as the father of modern Sarawak.
As Sarawak's longest-serving chief minister from 1981 to 2014, he was instrumental in transforming Sarawak into a modern economy through what he called the "politics of development".
After stepping down as chief minister, Abdul Taib became the seventh Yang di-Pertua Negeri on Feb 28, 2014, succeeding Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng.
He served as the head of state until Jan 26 this year.
