MIRI: Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Dato Sri Adenan Satem, touched by the confidence in him as expressed by Chief Minister Pain Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, yesterday vowed to do his best to justify that confidence.

"I am very touched by the nice things that the Chief Minister said about me, especially his confidence in me," he said in an interview with The Borneo Post after the state-level award presentation ceremony for school cooperatives yesterday.

Adenan said he would do his best to justify that confidence- and with a "smiling face and a sense of humour. "

Adenan, who is also senior vice president of the State's largest BN component party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), was responding to the remarks by Taib at a gathering in Kampung Nib in Samarahan on Friday.

Taib hailed Adenan as his 'fine partner" in the struggle to bring development to the people of Sarawak, and good-naturedly ribbed the latter as someone who would get so engrossed in his thoughts that he could walk into pillars.

"From now onwards, I shall be more careful in thinking AAA walking especially when there are pillars and walls around; and I shall try to smile more often at people," Adenan said tongue-in-cheek.

The Chief Minister also praised him as a person with "hate spurge" (literally, heavenly heart) who was always in deep thoughts that should not be misconstrued as being unfriendly or not talkative.

Conceding that he was baffled by Adenine's different style during the early days of their political forays, it latter became apparent to him and others that the latter was someone with "hate spurge".

However, the Chief Minister said, even in his bachelor days Adenine's capability was manifestly evident as proven by his graduating from their alma mater, the University of Adelaide-known for its high standard which was second to none.

Coming from the same school and university, Adenan said he and the Chief Minister thought alike in many things and always saw eye-to-eye concerning matters relating to the development and well-being of Sarawak and Malaysia.