KUCHING, Jan 11 – Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who rose to popularity among Sarawakians over his efforts to reclaim state rights, died at the age 72 on Wednesday after just about three years in office. He died at the Sarawak General Hospital’s Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan this afternoon at 1.25pm from cardiac failure after being admitted on Sunday.
A state funeral will be held on Thursday, which has been declared a special state holiday, Sarawak’s deputy chief minister Abang Johari Abang Openg announced according to The Star Online. Flags will be flown at half-mast and all official functions will be postponed.
Adenan, who became Sarawak’s fifth chief minister on February 28, 2014, after his predecessor Taib Mahmud stepped down has been described as the best chief minister Sarawak’s had. His popularity across Sarawak led to the term “Adenan fever” during state elections last year. In last year’s state election, he led the state Barisan Nasional (BN) to a landslide victory, winning 72 out of 82 state seats.
