KUCHING – Former Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today clarified that no one forced him to give up his seat in the 15th general election (GE15).
He said it was his decision not to seek re-election, and felt the need to dispel talks that Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had pressured him to vacate the seat he has held for the past four terms.
“I gave notice to the premier three months ago that I wanted to withdraw from this election although I am still well-liked by the people in the area. The premier said to me, ‘It’s up to you, we’re not making any decision now.’”
“When people in Santubong heard I would not be contesting, they came to see me, asking me to go (contest) for one more time. But I told them I had already informed the premier,” Wan Junaidi told a press conference at the Kuching International Airport VVIP Lounge here.
He said he reiterated his desire to step down when he met with Abang Johari a second time, to which the premier again said it was up to Wan Junaidi to decide.
“The last time I met with the premier was on November 2 at 2pm. I remained firm in my decision and told the premier, ‘Sir, there is no change, I still stick to my stand that I want to withdraw myself’,” he said.
“I stick to my stand because I keep my word, my promise to myself, that when you are on the top of your popularity, the top of your performance, that is the time (to retire).
“Don’t wait until you are kicked out then you quit. Don’t overstay your welcome. I want to tell politicians this as well.”
According to him, a sign that politicians have overstayed their welcome is when they start moving from one constituency to another.
“When a person doesn’t serve the area well, people in the area don’t want them anymore, so they move to another area. This happens in Peninsular Malaysia.
“They move from one area to another because they can make up for all the nonsense there again. The next five years they move to another seat.
“It’s not going to happen to me. So I say this is a good time for me to call it a day.”
He also said he has no health issues either physically or mentally, and that he has received many offers to become a university lecturer or to sit on a board of directors.
“But I told them, let me relax first,” he said. – Borneo Post Online, November 4, 2022
