Adenan Satem's passing on Wednesday afternoon was an unexpected blow to Sarawak, leaving many to wonder how the state and its BN components will fare without him.

The biggest vacuum left by his death appears to be strong leadership.

"We're not sure who can replace him. I don't think anybody has that kind of aura or attribute as a strong leader," Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia-based pundit Faisal Hazis told Malaysiakini.