1987 Ming Court Affair
This political crisis already started brewing when Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya'kub was the Governor of Sarawak/Yang di-Pertua Negara of Sarawak (1981-1985).
He criticized his nephew (YB Pehin Sri Dr. Abdul Taib Mahmud) in a speech at a ceremony of opening of the Bintulu port in 1983.
In 1985, Rahman Ya'kub was involved in a bitter dispute with his nephew, Abdul Taib Mahmud over allocation rights.
In 1987, Rahman Ya'kub formed a new party named Parti Persatuan Rakyat Malaysia Sarawak (PERMAS) in order to challenge Taib Mahmud at the polls. He also formed an alliance with Sarawak Dayak People's Party (PBDS) in order to unseat Taib Mahmud.
In March 1987, 27 of the 48 state assemblymen suddenly directed their support to Rahman Ya'kub while calling Taib Mahmud to resign as a chief minister. Among the defectors were Taib's 4 cabinet ministers and 3 assistant ministers.
A war of accusations on timber concessionaires then broke out between Rahman Ya'kub and Taib Mahmud. Taib Mahmud revoked 30 timber licenses held by his defectors and Rahman's clients. Taib then accused Rahman for awarding 1.25 million hectares of logging concessions worth RM 22.5 billion to Rahman himself and his relatives. Rahman Ya'kub, in return, revealed a list of timber concessions covering 1.6 million hectares held by Taib's clients and family.
Despite the unsuccessful attempt at the 1987 Sarawak state election, Rahman continued his struggle with his allies, Sarawak Dayak People's Party against Taib's led Sarawak Barisan Nasional until 1991 Sarawak state election when Taib's coalition won an overwhelming majority of 49 out of 56 seats in the state assembly
Another interesting character must be Datuk Justin Jinggut, a former SNAP vice president who is now actively promoting himself to be the PKR supremo in Sarawak.
Interestingly Justin Jinggut is Norlia Tun Abdul Rahman's husband. Now, who is Justin Jinggut again?
"I believe the first double-frogged politician was “born” in Sarawak. It was in Sarawak where this culture of double-frogging began when Ulu Rajang MP Justine Jinggut elected unopposed on a SNAP ticket in the 1982 parliamentary election defected to Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) in 1983.
In 1986, he contested on a PBDS ticket and won with a big majority. He leapfrogged back to SNAP before 1987. In 1990 he stood again on a SNAP ticket and was soundly defeated by Billy Abit Joo of PBDS." - The Broken Shield
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