Today marks nine years since Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg took his oath of office as Sarawak’s sixth Premier, a milestone that invites not merely ceremonial acknowledgement but thoughtful reflection on leadership, change and consequence. Nine years is not a long time in political history, yet in Sarawak’s case it has been a period dense with transformation, namely institutional, economic, cultural and psychological.
In that relatively short span, Abang Johari has not only administered Sarawak; he has reshaped its sense of itself, its confidence in its future and its standing within Malaysia and beyond.
His political journey did not begin with grandeur or inherited power, but in Satok, among ordinary people, solving ordinary problems. From those modest beginnings, he rose steadily through the political ranks, building a reputation not for fiery rhetoric or populist theatrics, but for consistency, reliability and thoughtfulness.
When he succeeded his predecessors in 2017, there was inevitable scepticism. Could he fill such large shoes? Could he command the same authority, vision and public confidence? Those doubts did not last long. Rather than attempting to imitate the style of earlier leaders, Abang Johari quietly established his own; pragmatic, future-oriented, institution-centred and grounded in a deep belief that Sarawak must take charge of its own destiny.
A week before Christmas, while I was in Kuala Lumpur sharing coffee with a group of political friends from both Umno and DAP at Bangsar Shopping Centre, someone jokingly suggested that since there was “a Sarawak political enthusiast” among them, they should ask me what was happening politically back home.
I took the bait gladly. What followed was less a briefing on political events than an impromptu defence and celebration, of Sarawak’s political culture and leadership. I spoke about how Sarawak’s politics is shaped less by ideological battles and more by consensus, stability and long-term planning, and how under one particularly capable Premier, Sarawak had progressed by leaps and bounds.
At some point, one of them interrupted me, half amused and half exasperated, saying, “We asked you about politics in Sarawak, not to compare your leaders with ours.”
Yet another quietly came to my defence, acknowledging that Sarawak had indeed been fortunate to have a leader who not only had ideas but possessed the discipline and political courage to implement them. He remarked that it was astonishing how much Sarawak had achieved in less than a decade, and lamented that leaders of similar calibre in Malaya were either too constrained or too distracted to do the same.
That casual conversation mirrored a broader national sentiment; admiration, curiosity and perhaps a touch of envy at how decisively Sarawak has moved forward.
What sets Abang Johari apart is not merely what he has done, but how he has done it. He shifted the centre of governance away from short-term political optics towards long-term structural foundations. The establishment of the Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund, the Development Bank of Sarawak(DBOS), Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS), TVS and AirBorneo were not bureaucratic exercises but strategic assertions of economic autonomy.
These entities signal that Sarawak no longer sees itself as merely a recipient of federal allocations, but as an active architect of its own economic future. They provide the financial backbone for sustainable development, buffering Sarawak from external shocks and enabling strategic investments in infrastructure, education and innovation.
Equally significant is the way Abang Johari has framed development. It is not simply about roads, bridges and buildings, important though those are, but about human capacity, social mobility and dignity. His announcement of the Free Tertiary Education Scheme beginning in 2026, with an initial allocation of RM250 million, is perhaps the most socially transformative policy of his tenure.
To declare that Sarawakian parents need not worry about financing their children’s higher education is to alter fundamentally the relationship between state and citizen. Education becomes not a privilege mediated by wealth, but a right supported by governance. It sends a powerful message: that Sarawak’s future lies in its people, and that investing in their minds is the most secure investment of all.
Healthcare, too, has been elevated from a service to a priority, particularly in rural areas where access has historically been limited. Through expanded facilities, improved outreach and closer cooperation with federal agencies, his government has sought to ensure that geography does not determine destiny. Digital connectivity, renewable energy and the hydrogen economy further demonstrate his insistence that Sarawak must not merely catch up with the world but move in step with global transitions.
Internationally, he is increasingly recognised as a leader in sustainable development; nationally, he is seen as a stabiliser who balances firm advocacy for Sarawak’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 with a cooperative relationship with the federal government.
Yet beyond institutions and policies lies something less tangible but no less important: character. Those who have interacted with Abang Johari know that his integrity is not performative, his humility not rehearsed and his accessibility not strategic.
He listens more than he speaks, observes before he decides, and acts without fanfare. In an era when politics is increasingly dominated by noise, spectacle and outrage, his quietness is almost radical. It is a reminder that leadership need not shout to be effective.
I will always remember his personal visit following my wife’s passing, a gesture devoid of political calculation or public relations value. It was simply an act of humanity, and it revealed the essence of the man behind the office. That capacity for empathy, for recognising people not merely as constituents but as fellow human beings, is what endears him to so many and explains the deep reservoir of trust he enjoys across communities.
Media owner and political analyst Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir observed in his column yesterday in Suara Sarawak that whoever succeeds Abang Johari will inherit not only an office but a burden. The burden of having to live up to a standard that has redefined governance itself. That is no exaggeration.
Abang Johari has not merely managed Sarawak; he has elevated it. He restored its confidence, expanded its imagination and anchored its progress in institutions rather than personalities. Sarawak today is more assertive, more respected and more coherent. Economically, politically and culturally, than it was nine years ago.
Perhaps his greatest achievement is not what he has built, but what he has enabled Sarawak to become: a state that believes in itself, plans for the long term, invests in its people and engages the world with confidence rather than caution.
As Sarawakians mark his ninth year in office, gratitude is natural, but more than gratitude there is trust; trust that the man at the helm understands both where Sarawak has come from and where it must go.
It is therefore the hope and prayer of many Sarawakians that he will be granted health, wisdom and strength to continue this journey, not merely for Sarawak’s sake, but for the enduring idea that leadership, when guided by integrity, imagination and compassion, can still change destinies.
Happy 9th Anniversary, YAB.
Sibu-born Rajah Murugaiah has observed the political journey of Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari since 1981 when the former was transferred to Kuching to head a tabloid paper.
