Abdul Taib Mahmud
Encyclopedia
Pehin Sri
Haji Abdul Taib bin Mahmud (born 21 May 1936 in Miri
, Sarawak
) is the fourth and current Chief Minister of Sarawak
. He is also the state Financial Minister and Planning and Resource Management Minister. Taib is the President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), which is part of the Barisan Nasional
coalition. He is of ethnic Melanau
descent.
Taib was four years old when the Second World War broke out. Soon after Japanese troops landed in Miri in December 1941, Taib’s father decided to move to his ancestral home in Mukah, where he felt his young family would be safe.
Taib is informally known as Pak Uban, which translates into "white-haired uncle". Among Chinese speaking communities he is known as Bai Mao (白毛) which means "white hair". Another informal name for him, in reference to the British Brooke family that ruled Sarawak as White Rajahs
in the 19th and early 20th century, is the "last white rajah" or "white-haired rajah". Holding the post of the Chief Minister of Sarawak
since 1981, he is the longest serving Chief Minister in Malaysia. He assumed the Chief Minister post at the age of 45. Being a member of the Malaysian Parliament for 38 years, Taib is also the second longest-serving parliamentarian in Malaysia after Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
. Taib and his wider family are regularly accused of corruption and personally benefiting from Sarawak's natural and economic resources.
.
His daughter, Jamilah Taib and husband Sean Murray are involved in property development in Ottawa
, Canada.
Taib's mother, Hajah Hamidah Yakub died in Normah Specialist Medical Centre when Taib Mahmud was hospitalised in Singapore
and underwent surgery to remove a suspected cancerous lump in his colon on 11 January 2006.
On 29 April 2009, Taib's wife Laila died of cancer. She was buried at the Demak Jaya cemetery in Kuching the following day.
On 3 June 2009, Taib's four-year-old granddaughter, Celestia Lulua Mahmud Abu Bekir, died two days after slipping into the swimming pool at her home at Duta Nusantara Condominium in Kuala Lumpur
. Celestia was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital after the accident. She was buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery
.
On 18 December 2010, he reportedly married for the second time to a Lebanese women in her early 30s, according to a daily Utusan Malaysia; however the wedding ceremony was held in private, attended only by his family members and 200 invited guests. On 8 January 2011, he was seen together with his newly wed wife, Puan Sri Ragad Waleed Alkurdi attending a wedding reception of a former MP in Kuala Lumpur. Both of them held a wedding reception sometime in the middle of January,and the reception were held at the New Sarawak State Legislative Building Complex.
raised Taib since he was a boy. Taib undertook his early schooling at St Joseph's Primary School in Miri
and St. Joseph's Secondary School in Kuching
. After school, he was persuaded by Rahman Ya'kub to take up law. In 1958, his excellent performance in the Senior Cambridge Examination earned him a Shell scholarship, allowing Taib to further his studies at the University of Adelaide
in South Australia. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws
from the university in 1960. Since then, Taib Mahmud has written and published several Islamic books and other works including "Muhammad and His Mission, Islam and Utility of Mankind", "Freedom of Thought of Islam", and "Appropriate Strategy for Developing Countries in a Period of Resource Scarcity".
. During the 1970 parliamentary election for Sarawak
, he was elected as the member of Malaysian parliament
for Kota Samarahan seat. He was later appointed to numerous portfolios including Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (1970–1972) and Natural Resources Minister (1972–1974). In 1973, Taib was appointed deputy president of the newly formed PBB before subsequently becoming the president of the party. Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
was Taib's political mentor for 20 years.
. He held the Sebandi seat until 1987, when he was elected as state assemblyman for the Asajaya constituency. In 2001 state election
, he decided to contest in Balingian. Taib served in many public and voluntary bodies and represented the government at various international conferences.
, dissatisfaction with the Taib leadership arose when a group of PBB politicians claimed that the interests of Bumiputeras were being neglected. The group claimed Taib Mahmud had exclusively favoured the Chinese and Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP). The Dayaks in the Sarawak Dayak People's Party (PBDS) were quite frustrated because the Chief Minister post has not been in their hands for 17 years. However, the main factor for upheaval in PBDS was the suspicion of Chief Minister Taib towards Leo Moggie, the PBDS president. According to a doctoral dissertation written by David Walter Brown, fissures between the factions controlled by Taib and his uncle, Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
gradually developed after Rahman Ya'kub stepped down as Chief Minister. In 1985, Rahman Ya'kub was also removed from the office of governor by Taib himself. This caused Rahman Ya'kub to launch a series of attacks against Taib in 1987, widely known as the Ming Court Affair.
Rahman Ya'kub headed a group of disappointed Sarawak politicians from Sarawak National Party
(SNAP) and PBDS to gather in Ming Court Hotel in Kuala Lumpur
in order to move a motion of no confidence against Taib's leadership by signing letters collectively. Daniel Tajem, a former deputy chief minister and Leo Moggie were the other main plotters of this affair. Seeing such a political crisis, Taib immediately called for a snap state election in 1987, which he narrowly won. His coalition won 28 out of 48 seats in the state assembly and later received another 8 defected assemblymen from PBDS, decreasing the original seats for PBDS from 15 to 7. PBDS remained in the opposition until it was readmitted into Sarawak BN in 1994. The internal bickering of SNAP and PBDS has benefited the rule of Taib in the years to come.
But Sarawak's prosperity is not evenly shared across the socio-economic classes. Unlike the data above, academics and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are independent of Taib's PBB party revealed that the large disparity between urban and rural poverty remains a major challenge for Taib's three decades-old administration.
Sarawak is one of the most visited islands in Malaysia and eco-tourism forms a major part of this state’s economy. Taib's administration with the help of the Malaysian federal government, has made Sarawak's World Heritage more accessible through the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway
. In recent years, the Sarawak economy has started to become more industrialised. Manufacturing
, industrial, and tourism sector are particularly high growth sectors. High technology industries play a significant role into the economic expansion and creation of jobs in the state. As a result of Taib Mahmud's policy of development, Sarawak GDP growth exceeded national average in 1995. To balance the development between urban and rural areas, Taib Mahmud also endorsed town planning, natural resources planning, large-scale plantations, and native customary land (NCR) development. However, cases of exploitation of NCR lands for logging, mining, and plantation purposes have also been reported. Sarawak is the first state in Malaysia to fully implement the e-government initiative while the Sarawak State Library is the first e-library in Malaysia. The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
(SCORE) introduced by Taib is expected to further diversify the economy of Sarawak.
During his tenure, Taib has been able to unite cooperation the political leaders of the different parties and reach stable political consensus. Taib Mahmud is also regarded as successfully integrating the different social and racial groups in Sarawak.
Taib said that his vision for Sarawak was for it to become the richest state in Malaysia by the year 2030. It is the intention of Taib and his administration to develop more high-skilled jobs.
To achieve this, the state is investing money in developing new higher education institutions. This policy is intended to help move the economy away from industry which relies heavily on Sarawak's natural resources to a more skilled, serviced-based economy.
A programme has been put in place to save the flora and fauna affected by the construction of the Bakun Hydro Electric Dam. A total of 349 species of flora, 65 species of fauna, 27 mammals and 38 bird species were identified and relocated to higher ground. There is now a conservation programme in place in the Bakun Dam catchment area and it is anticipated that the growth in eco-tourism will provide economic opportunities for local communities.
Other programmes include the Heart 2 Heart orangutan campaign which invites the public to get involved with orangutan conservation; orang-utan and turtle adoption; protection of the dugong (a large marine mammal) and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which are both endangered species; and the Reef Ball project that will rehabilitate Sarawak´s ocean ecosystem by placing artificial reef modules in the sea to form new habitats. Reef balls have also proven their effectiveness in protecting turtles in Sarawak. In the early 1990s, between 70 to 100 turtle deaths were reported every year. Now, the number of deaths has been reduced significantly to less than 15 reported cases. Reef balls also protect traditional fishing areas and are used to create recreational diving sites.
Recently stated in his keynote address at Tomorrow’s Leaders Summit that he would continue to improve conditions of the Orang Utan "One of them is of course the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary. We hope to develop it properly with Indonesia to make it the safest and biggest sanctuary for orang utans"
in the state assembly. The remaining assistant minister, Abdul Wahab Aziz, was on a pilgrimage. The new cabinet line-up took effect on 1 December 2009.
Taib, who retained the Finance, and Planning and Resource Management Minister portfolios, said the reorganisation was meant to prepare Sarawak for new development policies and approaches that could take place some time in the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) or after the next state election. He also said that with the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
(SCORE) coming up, he would reform Syarikat SESCO Berhad (SESCO) in the next one or two years.
On 28 September 2011, Taib again announced another cabinet reshuffle with the appointment of Senior Ministers in the cabinet and renaming some of the ministry. Taib also created new ministries that will focused on the welfare, women and family development.
coalition, Taib led PBB to a clean sweep of seats contested in the 2011 state election
, winning an eighth consecutive term as chief minister. However, the Barisan Nasional coalition suffered its worst performance ever in a Sarawak state election, with coalition partner Sarawak United People's Party
(SUPP) suffering badly due his poor standing among the Chinese community. Since the election, he has been under pressure from the BN national leadership to step down to avoid hurting BN's prospects during the next general election. Despite this, Taib has remained vague about his retirement plans.
. According to the report, the chief minister reserves his right to revoke timber licenses while no legal challenge is possible against the chief minister. This is to ensure that the anyone with logging interest is loyal to the chief minister. The report also notes that in general, mutually beneficial relationship between political elites and logging companies often results in corruption, bribery, and transfer pricing, where the financial details of transnational logging companies, including Malaysian ones, are difficult to track. Based on a book written by Michael Lewin Ross, the political insecurity of Taib Mahmud from 1986 to 1991 has enabled him to accelerate the pace of logging in Sarawak. Taib is reported to have used timber concessions for personal and family enrichment.
In 2007, The Japan Times reported that nine Japanese shipping companies, which transported timber from Sarawak, had allegedly failed to report some 1.1 billion yen in income over a period of up to seven years. The report claimed the money was paid to Sarawak officials via a Hong Kong agent linked to Taib's family. Taib, however, denied totally the Japan Times allegations by presenting a 10-page clarification in the state assembly. He said that he had no knowledge about the bribes given to Sarawak officials and the evading of the income from timber production.
In 2008, Indonesian newspaper Tribun Pontianak revealed that around 30 shipments of illegal Indonesian logs was imported into Sarawak and re-exported to other countries every month. Chief minister Taib Mahmud and the company Hardwood Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned unit of state agency Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), was implicated in this timber scam.
In 2009, the Malaysian 2008 annual auditor-general's report labelled the forest management in Sarawak by state government as unsatisfactory. However, Sarawak's Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan questioned the validity of the report as he claimed that the auditor-general's department did not have the expertise in forest management.
The indigenous community petitions and road blockades against logging in their ancestral lands has led to forceful dismantling of blockades, several deaths and violent coercion by the police
and logging industry enforcers.
According to Mongabay, Sarawak has lost 90% of its forests cover based on satellite images. However, Taib Mahmud refuted the claim and said that there are still 70% of its forests remain intact and he also plans to invite independent investigations on Sarawak rainforest.
(CMSB) on 23 January 1995. He is currently the Deputy Group Chairman of CMSB. Abu Bekir Taib's siblings, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
, Jamilah Hamidah Taib, Hanifah Hajar Taib and his late mother Laila Taib are substantial shareholders in the company. Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib joined the board of CMSB when his brother Abu Bekir Taib, first became the Group Executive Director of CMSB. Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib was the Group Chairman of CMSB from May 2002 until June 2006, the former Non-Executive Director of CMSB, and the former RHB Bank
chairman.
In the 2008 general election
, Taib's son Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
won the Kota Samarahan seat in the Malaysian parliament previously held by his father and became Deputy Tourism Minister in the new cabinet. Prior to this, he did not have any political experience. On 14 December 2009, he resigned his deputy minister post due to personal reasons.
Taib's brother, Mohd Tufail bin Mahmud is the co-owner of Sanyan Group, one of the Sarawak's biggest timber companies. In 2001, the Sanyan Group completed its construction of the 28-storey Wisma Sanyan
in Sibu
where the state government took up 8 office floors.
Achi Jaya Shipping is owned by Onn Mahmud and his immediate family. Onn Mahmud is Taib Mahmud's brother. Achi Jaya Shipping is alleged to continue demand payment from Japanese log carriers for transporting wood from Sarawak although the payments are actually kickbacks as stated in 2007 timber kickback scandal.
Taib's brother, Mohamad Arip bin Mahmud was appointed as a director of Jaya Tiasa Holdings Berhad (controlled by Rimbunan Hijau Group) on 13 April 1995. Taib's sister is also one of the Tiong's business partners.
Taib's cousin, Abdul Hamed Sepawi is the chairman of Naim Holdings Berhad, Sarawak Energy Berhad, and Ta Ann Holdings Berhad. He was also on the board of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corp and Sarawak Plantation Berhad.
Taib's brother-in-law, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Aziz Bin Dato Haji Husain, was appointed state secretary by Taib in 2000 and when he retired in 2006, he was appointed as the group managing director of Sarawak Energy Berhad since 2007. He also holds directorships for Eksons Corporation Berhad, Mlabs Systems Berhad, Syarikat SESCO Berhad and other companies.
Taib Mahmud, denying any wrongdoings, told Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) that he did not ask anybody to do his sons a favour for the positions in CMSB and other companies. He also insisted that his family made money through their own hard work.
(CMSB), the company controlled by Taib's family, has been awarded various government contracts including the maintenance of Sarawak's roads over the last 15 years. These contracts also include construction of roads, supplying roofing materials for low-cost housing units, building hospitals, and upgrading airports. In 2001, the Malaysian federal government allowed the CMS Group's banking unit Bank Utama to acquire RHB Bank
to become one of Malaysia's 10 core banks. The company, PPES Works (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, which is 51% owned by CMSB, recently completed the construction of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building
in 2009. CMSB is currently under the joint venture with leading aluminium producer, Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA) to develop aluminium smelter in Similajau as part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
(SCORE).
A doctoral thesis written by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
(UNIMAS) lecturer, Dr Neilson Mersat, alleged that Taib's family wealth comes mostly from Sarawak state government contracts without tender, and profits were sent overseas to hide them. Another lecturer in the faculty of Social Sciences at UNIMAS, Andrew Aeria, wrote a thesis which claimed that CMSB takeover of Bank Utama and other companies is an example where highly profitable business are only favoured between well-connected individuals. The privatisation of state-owned companies deprived the state government of sources of income, thus raising the burden of taxpayers.
In 2000, the Sarawak cabinet had approved RM 551.02 million state contract to be awarded directly to Titanium Management Sdn. Bhd. Taib's son, Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib is a major shareholder in the company. This contract allowed Titanium to repair or replace 384 old bridges in the state in 7 years. The Malaysian 2006 auditor general report stated that agreement in the contract was favouring the contractor. There was a cost overrun of 72% from the original cost. A survey conducted by auditor-general department on 12 sites of the bridges discovered that the design of bridges over narrow rivers do not meet actual needs and were not built economically.
In 2008, the Sarawak government planned to build 12 dams in Sarawak in order to meet the future energy demand of industrialisation. These dams are scheduled to be completed in 2020 although they need to be approved by environmental impact assessment. A memorandum of understanding was already signed between the Sarawak Energy Berhad and China Three Gorges Project Corporation on Murum Dam
project. A total of 51 dams may be constructed by the year 2037. This controversial hydroelectric project is receiving fierce criticism because of catastrophic disasters that they may cause and the possible displacements of native communities. The opponents of the plans cited this project as corruption and capital cronyism because CMSB is expected to be benefited indirectly by supplying concrete material for the construction of dams and building of aluminium smelter that consume much of the generated electricity. In March 2009, Al Jazeera
's '101 East' English programme was aired where the Sarawak's 12 dams issue and economic domination by Taib's family was discussed in great detail. Minister of Land Development, Dato Sri Dr. James Masing accepted the interview on this issue but the Chief Minister Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud declined the interview invitation.
James Masing, in an interview with Al Jazeera English, maintained that the contracts were awarded in a transparent manner either in open or closed tenders. He said that the state government gave the contracts based on the previous good track record of the companies, not because of the alleged political connections.
car. Laila Taib and her children are the majority shareholders of Sitehost Pty. Ltd., Australia, which owns Adelaide Hilton Hotel, according to Aliran Monthly, the reformist Malaysian magazine. Taib was described as "flamboyant with expensive tastes" and had reportedly purchased a piano once belonged to late American showman Liberace
for US$2 million.
in Canada worth a few hundred million dollars, under the name of his son-in-law, Sean Murray. This company was founded by Taib's brother Onn Mahmud, Taib's daughter Jamilah, and Sean Murray. Sean Murray and Taib's daughter has successfully won the trust of Canadian government departments to move into the their office spaces after an open and competitive lease search. The ORC briefings stated that the facilities owned by Sakto Corporation was "built to high energy and environmental specifications" and "building is green in a number of ways". Sarawak Report, run by Clare Rewcastle Brown
also alleged that Sakti International Corporation in United States which is also managed by the same couple, owns Abraham Lincoln building which houses the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) facility, with Taib Mahmud as the ultimate owner of Sakti. Taib family is also alleged to own Ridgeford Properties
in London. Taib Mahmud admitted that his daughter owns properties in Canada and London but he denied that his daughter's properties are operated using illegal money. The longest served chief minister in Malaysia has played denial to disclose his wealth further even with growing anger and public pressure. Therefore however Datuk Seri Najib Razak has traveled to Sarawak, Taib's legacy state, to exercise last minute duty for the coming state election on 17 April 2011.
In December 2001, he was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia
, "for service to Australian-Malaysian bilateral relations".
Taib also holds honorary degrees from a number of universities including, an Honorary Degree from the University of Adelaide, Australia, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Putra, Malaysia, Honorary Doctor of Technology Degree from Curtin University of Technology, Australia, and in 1998, Taib was made the Honorary Fellow of Islamic Academy of Sciences at the Islamic Academy of Sciences, Amman, Jordan.
Malay titles
The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Haji Abdul Taib bin Mahmud (born 21 May 1936 in Miri
Miri
Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
) is the fourth and current Chief Minister of Sarawak
Chief Minister of Sarawak
The Chief Minister of Sarawak is the head of the executive branch of the state government in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. The Chief Minister is appointed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from the State Legislative Assembly....
. He is also the state Financial Minister and Planning and Resource Management Minister. Taib is the President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), which is part of the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
coalition. He is of ethnic Melanau
Melanau
The Melanau are a people who live on the island of Borneo, primarily in Sarawak, Malaysia, but also in Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are among the earliest settlers of Sarawak, and speak a Northwest Malayo-Polynesian language .-Origins:...
descent.
Taib was four years old when the Second World War broke out. Soon after Japanese troops landed in Miri in December 1941, Taib’s father decided to move to his ancestral home in Mukah, where he felt his young family would be safe.
Taib is informally known as Pak Uban, which translates into "white-haired uncle". Among Chinese speaking communities he is known as Bai Mao (白毛) which means "white hair". Another informal name for him, in reference to the British Brooke family that ruled Sarawak as White Rajahs
White Rajahs
White Rajahs refers to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. A Rajah is a monarch in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.-Rulers:...
in the 19th and early 20th century, is the "last white rajah" or "white-haired rajah". Holding the post of the Chief Minister of Sarawak
Chief Minister of Sarawak
The Chief Minister of Sarawak is the head of the executive branch of the state government in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. The Chief Minister is appointed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from the State Legislative Assembly....
since 1981, he is the longest serving Chief Minister in Malaysia. He assumed the Chief Minister post at the age of 45. Being a member of the Malaysian Parliament for 38 years, Taib is also the second longest-serving parliamentarian in Malaysia after Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh bin Tengku Mohd Hamzah is a major Malaysian political figure from the state of Kelantan, and a former Finance Minister. He is an uncle of the current Raja Perempuan of Kelantan. Tengku is a Malay hereditary title usually translated as prince...
. Taib and his wider family are regularly accused of corruption and personally benefiting from Sarawak's natural and economic resources.
Family
Taib's son Sulaiman Abdul Rahman is married to Anisa, who is the daughter of Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong NamGeorge Chan Hong Nam
Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam , was the former Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak, state Industrial Development Minister and state Tourism and Heritage Minister. He is now the former member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly for Piasau, Miri after having lost his seat to the...
.
His daughter, Jamilah Taib and husband Sean Murray are involved in property development in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada.
Taib's mother, Hajah Hamidah Yakub died in Normah Specialist Medical Centre when Taib Mahmud was hospitalised in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and underwent surgery to remove a suspected cancerous lump in his colon on 11 January 2006.
On 29 April 2009, Taib's wife Laila died of cancer. She was buried at the Demak Jaya cemetery in Kuching the following day.
On 3 June 2009, Taib's four-year-old granddaughter, Celestia Lulua Mahmud Abu Bekir, died two days after slipping into the swimming pool at her home at Duta Nusantara Condominium in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. Celestia was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital after the accident. She was buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery
Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery
The Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery is a cemetery at the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located near Taman Tun Dr Ismail.- Notable burials :*Kamaluddin Muhamad — Malay author *Usman Awang — Malay author ...
.
On 18 December 2010, he reportedly married for the second time to a Lebanese women in her early 30s, according to a daily Utusan Malaysia; however the wedding ceremony was held in private, attended only by his family members and 200 invited guests. On 8 January 2011, he was seen together with his newly wed wife, Puan Sri Ragad Waleed Alkurdi attending a wedding reception of a former MP in Kuala Lumpur. Both of them held a wedding reception sometime in the middle of January,and the reception were held at the New Sarawak State Legislative Building Complex.
Early life and education
Born in impoverished circumstances in 1936, Taib can nonetheless trace an aristocratic link to the Royal Court of Brunei. Taib's uncle, Abdul Rahman Ya'kubAbdul Rahman Ya'kub
Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub is a Malaysian politician of Melanau descent from Mukah. He was the third Chief Minister of Sarawak and the fourth Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak . He is also an uncle of Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak...
raised Taib since he was a boy. Taib undertook his early schooling at St Joseph's Primary School in Miri
Miri
Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
and St. Joseph's Secondary School in Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
. After school, he was persuaded by Rahman Ya'kub to take up law. In 1958, his excellent performance in the Senior Cambridge Examination earned him a Shell scholarship, allowing Taib to further his studies at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in South Australia. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from the university in 1960. Since then, Taib Mahmud has written and published several Islamic books and other works including "Muhammad and His Mission, Islam and Utility of Mankind", "Freedom of Thought of Islam", and "Appropriate Strategy for Developing Countries in a Period of Resource Scarcity".
Early political career
On returning to Sarawak, Taib worked in the Crown Council from 1962 to 1963. He then joined the State Legislative Council of Sarawak on 22 July 1963, where he was appointed state minister for Communication and Works from 1963 to 1966 and Minister of Development and Forestry in 1967. In 1964, he became the vice-chairman of Parti Berjasa, Sarawak. On several occasions, Taib Mahmud acted as Chief Minister. He was the vice-chairman of Parti Berjasa Sarawak in 1964. Taib was appointed Federal Assistant Minister for Commerce and Industry from 1968 until 1970. He represented Parti Bumiputera Sarawak (BUMIPUTERA), which was a component party of Sarawak Alliance, in Malaysian general election, 1969Malaysian general election, 1969
General elections were held in Malaysia on 10 May 1969, although voting was postponed until between 21 and 27 June in Sabah and Sarawak. It resulted in the return to power, with a reduced majority, of the ruling Alliance Party, comprising the United Malays National Organization , the Malayan...
. During the 1970 parliamentary election for Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, he was elected as the member of Malaysian parliament
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
for Kota Samarahan seat. He was later appointed to numerous portfolios including Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (1970–1972) and Natural Resources Minister (1972–1974). In 1973, Taib was appointed deputy president of the newly formed PBB before subsequently becoming the president of the party. Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub is a Malaysian politician of Melanau descent from Mukah. He was the third Chief Minister of Sarawak and the fourth Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak . He is also an uncle of Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak...
was Taib's political mentor for 20 years.
Appointment as Chief Minister
After winning the Sebandi (now Asajaya) by-election in 1981, Taib was appointed as Sarawak's Land and Mines Minister before succeeding his uncle, Abdul Rahman Ya'kub, as the Chief Minister of SarawakChief Minister of Sarawak
The Chief Minister of Sarawak is the head of the executive branch of the state government in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. The Chief Minister is appointed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from the State Legislative Assembly....
. He held the Sebandi seat until 1987, when he was elected as state assemblyman for the Asajaya constituency. In 2001 state election
Sarawak state election, 2001
The Eighth Sarawak state election was held on 27 September 2001 with nomination date on 18 September 2001. The state assembly was supposed to be expired on 18 November 2001 but it was dissolved by the governor of Sarawak 2 months earlier on 3 September 2001....
, he decided to contest in Balingian. Taib served in many public and voluntary bodies and represented the government at various international conferences.
1987 Ming Court Affair
According to MalaysiakiniMalaysiakini
Malaysiakini is a political news website published in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. Since its launch on November 20, 1999, it has been widely considered to be one of the leading non-government owned paid-news agencies in Malaysia. Compete.com estimates that Malaysiakini now attracts over...
, dissatisfaction with the Taib leadership arose when a group of PBB politicians claimed that the interests of Bumiputeras were being neglected. The group claimed Taib Mahmud had exclusively favoured the Chinese and Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP). The Dayaks in the Sarawak Dayak People's Party (PBDS) were quite frustrated because the Chief Minister post has not been in their hands for 17 years. However, the main factor for upheaval in PBDS was the suspicion of Chief Minister Taib towards Leo Moggie, the PBDS president. According to a doctoral dissertation written by David Walter Brown, fissures between the factions controlled by Taib and his uncle, Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub is a Malaysian politician of Melanau descent from Mukah. He was the third Chief Minister of Sarawak and the fourth Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak . He is also an uncle of Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak...
gradually developed after Rahman Ya'kub stepped down as Chief Minister. In 1985, Rahman Ya'kub was also removed from the office of governor by Taib himself. This caused Rahman Ya'kub to launch a series of attacks against Taib in 1987, widely known as the Ming Court Affair.
Rahman Ya'kub headed a group of disappointed Sarawak politicians from Sarawak National Party
Sarawak National Party
Sarawak National Party known by its acronym as "SNAP", is a political party in Malaysia. It was a member party of Barisan Nasional since Sarawak joined Malaysia until 2004 when it was expelled from Barisan Nasional...
(SNAP) and PBDS to gather in Ming Court Hotel in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
in order to move a motion of no confidence against Taib's leadership by signing letters collectively. Daniel Tajem, a former deputy chief minister and Leo Moggie were the other main plotters of this affair. Seeing such a political crisis, Taib immediately called for a snap state election in 1987, which he narrowly won. His coalition won 28 out of 48 seats in the state assembly and later received another 8 defected assemblymen from PBDS, decreasing the original seats for PBDS from 15 to 7. PBDS remained in the opposition until it was readmitted into Sarawak BN in 1994. The internal bickering of SNAP and PBDS has benefited the rule of Taib in the years to come.
Progress and development in Sarawak
Since 1981, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown from RM 6.5 billion to RM 19.7 billion in 1995 and increased further to an estimated of RM 29.9 billion in 1999. In 1995, 31.9% of the population was living in poverty and 10% in hard-core poverty. By 1997, the incidence of poverty was down to 7.5% and hard-core poverty went down to 0.7%. In 1980, only 31.8% of people of Sarawak had water supply, but in 1995, the figure has reached 85% of the population.But Sarawak's prosperity is not evenly shared across the socio-economic classes. Unlike the data above, academics and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are independent of Taib's PBB party revealed that the large disparity between urban and rural poverty remains a major challenge for Taib's three decades-old administration.
Sarawak is one of the most visited islands in Malaysia and eco-tourism forms a major part of this state’s economy. Taib's administration with the help of the Malaysian federal government, has made Sarawak's World Heritage more accessible through the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway
Pan Borneo Highway
Pan Borneo Highway , also known as Trans Borneo Highway, , ' is a network of federal roads connecting Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah. The Pan Borneo Highway project is a joint project between the governments of Brunei and Malaysia...
. In recent years, the Sarawak economy has started to become more industrialised. Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, industrial, and tourism sector are particularly high growth sectors. High technology industries play a significant role into the economic expansion and creation of jobs in the state. As a result of Taib Mahmud's policy of development, Sarawak GDP growth exceeded national average in 1995. To balance the development between urban and rural areas, Taib Mahmud also endorsed town planning, natural resources planning, large-scale plantations, and native customary land (NCR) development. However, cases of exploitation of NCR lands for logging, mining, and plantation purposes have also been reported. Sarawak is the first state in Malaysia to fully implement the e-government initiative while the Sarawak State Library is the first e-library in Malaysia. The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy or SCORE is a new development corridor in central Sarawak state, Malaysia. SCORE was launched on 11 February 2008. It is one of the five regional development corridors being developed throughout the country...
(SCORE) introduced by Taib is expected to further diversify the economy of Sarawak.
During his tenure, Taib has been able to unite cooperation the political leaders of the different parties and reach stable political consensus. Taib Mahmud is also regarded as successfully integrating the different social and racial groups in Sarawak.
2030 vision for Sarawak
During the celebrations of Taib's 28th year in power as the chief minister of Sarawak, speaking at Dewan Suarah BintuluBintulu
Bintulu is a coastal town, and the capital of Bintulu District in the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is about 650 kilometers from Kuching and about 215 kilometers from either Sibu or Miri....
Taib said that his vision for Sarawak was for it to become the richest state in Malaysia by the year 2030. It is the intention of Taib and his administration to develop more high-skilled jobs.
To achieve this, the state is investing money in developing new higher education institutions. This policy is intended to help move the economy away from industry which relies heavily on Sarawak's natural resources to a more skilled, serviced-based economy.
Conservation
In February 2011, the Government of Sarawak announced that it is intensifying wildlife conservation and protection activities as part of its commitment to sustainable development. Chief Minister Taib Mahmud said: "We must plan our development in a sustainable manner, to ensure that the prosperity of the State will not only be sustained but can be handed down to our children and grand-children."A programme has been put in place to save the flora and fauna affected by the construction of the Bakun Hydro Electric Dam. A total of 349 species of flora, 65 species of fauna, 27 mammals and 38 bird species were identified and relocated to higher ground. There is now a conservation programme in place in the Bakun Dam catchment area and it is anticipated that the growth in eco-tourism will provide economic opportunities for local communities.
Other programmes include the Heart 2 Heart orangutan campaign which invites the public to get involved with orangutan conservation; orang-utan and turtle adoption; protection of the dugong (a large marine mammal) and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which are both endangered species; and the Reef Ball project that will rehabilitate Sarawak´s ocean ecosystem by placing artificial reef modules in the sea to form new habitats. Reef balls have also proven their effectiveness in protecting turtles in Sarawak. In the early 1990s, between 70 to 100 turtle deaths were reported every year. Now, the number of deaths has been reduced significantly to less than 15 reported cases. Reef balls also protect traditional fishing areas and are used to create recreational diving sites.
Recently stated in his keynote address at Tomorrow’s Leaders Summit that he would continue to improve conditions of the Orang Utan "One of them is of course the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary. We hope to develop it properly with Indonesia to make it the safest and biggest sanctuary for orang utans"
Sarawak Cabinet reshuffle
Taib announced his cabinet reshuffle on 8 November 2009. Six new parliamentarians were appointed as assistant ministers, while the portfolios of others were changed. Five out of the six new appointees were sworn in on 21 November 2009 before the state governor, Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhamad SalahuddinAbang Muhammad Salahuddin
Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddin bin Abang Barieng is third and sixth Yang di-Pertua Negeri of the Malaysian state of Sarawak...
in the state assembly. The remaining assistant minister, Abdul Wahab Aziz, was on a pilgrimage. The new cabinet line-up took effect on 1 December 2009.
Taib, who retained the Finance, and Planning and Resource Management Minister portfolios, said the reorganisation was meant to prepare Sarawak for new development policies and approaches that could take place some time in the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) or after the next state election. He also said that with the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy or SCORE is a new development corridor in central Sarawak state, Malaysia. SCORE was launched on 11 February 2008. It is one of the five regional development corridors being developed throughout the country...
(SCORE) coming up, he would reform Syarikat SESCO Berhad (SESCO) in the next one or two years.
On 28 September 2011, Taib again announced another cabinet reshuffle with the appointment of Senior Ministers in the cabinet and renaming some of the ministry. Taib also created new ministries that will focused on the welfare, women and family development.
2011 state election and aftermath
Despite being the target of an onslaught of attacks by the opposition Pakatan RakyatPakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
coalition, Taib led PBB to a clean sweep of seats contested in the 2011 state election
Sarawak state election, 2011
The tenth Sarawak state election was held on April 16, 2011 after nomination for candidates on April 6. The purpose of the election was to elect 71 representatives to the Sarawak State Assembly...
, winning an eighth consecutive term as chief minister. However, the Barisan Nasional coalition suffered its worst performance ever in a Sarawak state election, with coalition partner Sarawak United People's Party
Sarawak United People's Party
The Sarawak United Peoples' Party, or SUPP is a political party in Malaysia. The party is one of the constituent members of the ruling Barisan Nasional...
(SUPP) suffering badly due his poor standing among the Chinese community. Since the election, he has been under pressure from the BN national leadership to step down to avoid hurting BN's prospects during the next general election. Despite this, Taib has remained vague about his retirement plans.
Logging industry
The involvement of Taib and his family in logging industry is specifically mentioned in a report published by Forests MonitorForests Monitor
Forests Monitor was established in 1993 to support forest-dependent people and raise public awareness about the negative impact that industrial forest exploitation has on the people that live in these forests and on the ecosystems that support them, including the wide range of plants and animals...
. According to the report, the chief minister reserves his right to revoke timber licenses while no legal challenge is possible against the chief minister. This is to ensure that the anyone with logging interest is loyal to the chief minister. The report also notes that in general, mutually beneficial relationship between political elites and logging companies often results in corruption, bribery, and transfer pricing, where the financial details of transnational logging companies, including Malaysian ones, are difficult to track. Based on a book written by Michael Lewin Ross, the political insecurity of Taib Mahmud from 1986 to 1991 has enabled him to accelerate the pace of logging in Sarawak. Taib is reported to have used timber concessions for personal and family enrichment.
In 2007, The Japan Times reported that nine Japanese shipping companies, which transported timber from Sarawak, had allegedly failed to report some 1.1 billion yen in income over a period of up to seven years. The report claimed the money was paid to Sarawak officials via a Hong Kong agent linked to Taib's family. Taib, however, denied totally the Japan Times allegations by presenting a 10-page clarification in the state assembly. He said that he had no knowledge about the bribes given to Sarawak officials and the evading of the income from timber production.
In 2008, Indonesian newspaper Tribun Pontianak revealed that around 30 shipments of illegal Indonesian logs was imported into Sarawak and re-exported to other countries every month. Chief minister Taib Mahmud and the company Hardwood Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned unit of state agency Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), was implicated in this timber scam.
In 2009, the Malaysian 2008 annual auditor-general's report labelled the forest management in Sarawak by state government as unsatisfactory. However, Sarawak's Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan questioned the validity of the report as he claimed that the auditor-general's department did not have the expertise in forest management.
The indigenous community petitions and road blockades against logging in their ancestral lands has led to forceful dismantling of blockades, several deaths and violent coercion by the police
Royal Malaysian Police
The Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
and logging industry enforcers.
According to Mongabay, Sarawak has lost 90% of its forests cover based on satellite images. However, Taib Mahmud refuted the claim and said that there are still 70% of its forests remain intact and he also plans to invite independent investigations on Sarawak rainforest.
Allegations of nepotism
Taib's son, Dato Sri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, was appointed as Group Executive Director of Cahya Mata Sarawak BerhadCahya Mata Sarawak Berhad
Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad , which literally means "the light of Sarawak's eye" in the Malay language or "Cahya Mata" also means "the child of", is a major company in Sarawak, Malaysia...
(CMSB) on 23 January 1995. He is currently the Deputy Group Chairman of CMSB. Abu Bekir Taib's siblings, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Taib is a former Deputy Tourism Minister of Malaysia.His father was Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak, while his mother was late Datuk Patinggi Hajjah Laila Taib, a...
, Jamilah Hamidah Taib, Hanifah Hajar Taib and his late mother Laila Taib are substantial shareholders in the company. Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib joined the board of CMSB when his brother Abu Bekir Taib, first became the Group Executive Director of CMSB. Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib was the Group Chairman of CMSB from May 2002 until June 2006, the former Non-Executive Director of CMSB, and the former RHB Bank
RHB Bank
RHB Bank Berhad is a bank based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It specializes in commercial banking, corporate and investment banking and international banking services...
chairman.
In the 2008 general election
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
, Taib's son Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib
Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Taib is a former Deputy Tourism Minister of Malaysia.His father was Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak, while his mother was late Datuk Patinggi Hajjah Laila Taib, a...
won the Kota Samarahan seat in the Malaysian parliament previously held by his father and became Deputy Tourism Minister in the new cabinet. Prior to this, he did not have any political experience. On 14 December 2009, he resigned his deputy minister post due to personal reasons.
Taib's brother, Mohd Tufail bin Mahmud is the co-owner of Sanyan Group, one of the Sarawak's biggest timber companies. In 2001, the Sanyan Group completed its construction of the 28-storey Wisma Sanyan
Wisma Sanyan
Wisma Sanyan is the tallest building in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia as well as the island of Borneo. Located in Sibu town, the building has the capacity to hold 10,000 people at any single time. The building is also the 40th tallest building in Malaysia.Opened in 2001, the building serves many...
in Sibu
Sibu
Sibu may refer to:*Sibu, Sarawak in Eastern Malaysia*Sibu Division*Sibu , an impact crater on Mars*Pulau Sibu, an island off the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia*Sibu , name of a goddess in the Bribri tribe, in Costa Rica...
where the state government took up 8 office floors.
Achi Jaya Shipping is owned by Onn Mahmud and his immediate family. Onn Mahmud is Taib Mahmud's brother. Achi Jaya Shipping is alleged to continue demand payment from Japanese log carriers for transporting wood from Sarawak although the payments are actually kickbacks as stated in 2007 timber kickback scandal.
Taib's brother, Mohamad Arip bin Mahmud was appointed as a director of Jaya Tiasa Holdings Berhad (controlled by Rimbunan Hijau Group) on 13 April 1995. Taib's sister is also one of the Tiong's business partners.
Taib's cousin, Abdul Hamed Sepawi is the chairman of Naim Holdings Berhad, Sarawak Energy Berhad, and Ta Ann Holdings Berhad. He was also on the board of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corp and Sarawak Plantation Berhad.
Taib's brother-in-law, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Aziz Bin Dato Haji Husain, was appointed state secretary by Taib in 2000 and when he retired in 2006, he was appointed as the group managing director of Sarawak Energy Berhad since 2007. He also holds directorships for Eksons Corporation Berhad, Mlabs Systems Berhad, Syarikat SESCO Berhad and other companies.
Taib Mahmud, denying any wrongdoings, told Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) that he did not ask anybody to do his sons a favour for the positions in CMSB and other companies. He also insisted that his family made money through their own hard work.
Economic activity
Cahya Mata Sarawak BerhadCahya Mata Sarawak Berhad
Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad , which literally means "the light of Sarawak's eye" in the Malay language or "Cahya Mata" also means "the child of", is a major company in Sarawak, Malaysia...
(CMSB), the company controlled by Taib's family, has been awarded various government contracts including the maintenance of Sarawak's roads over the last 15 years. These contracts also include construction of roads, supplying roofing materials for low-cost housing units, building hospitals, and upgrading airports. In 2001, the Malaysian federal government allowed the CMS Group's banking unit Bank Utama to acquire RHB Bank
RHB Bank
RHB Bank Berhad is a bank based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It specializes in commercial banking, corporate and investment banking and international banking services...
to become one of Malaysia's 10 core banks. The company, PPES Works (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, which is 51% owned by CMSB, recently completed the construction of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building
New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building
The New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building is the current state legislative complex of Sarawak, located in Kuching, Malaysia. It is the meeting place where state assemblymen from all over Sarawak will meet and preside over debates and passing of laws.The complex is located at the north...
in 2009. CMSB is currently under the joint venture with leading aluminium producer, Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA) to develop aluminium smelter in Similajau as part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy
The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy or SCORE is a new development corridor in central Sarawak state, Malaysia. SCORE was launched on 11 February 2008. It is one of the five regional development corridors being developed throughout the country...
(SCORE).
A doctoral thesis written by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak or UNIMAS was officially incorporated on 24 December 1992. UNIMAS is Malaysia's eighth University, established just after the declaration of Vision 2020...
(UNIMAS) lecturer, Dr Neilson Mersat, alleged that Taib's family wealth comes mostly from Sarawak state government contracts without tender, and profits were sent overseas to hide them. Another lecturer in the faculty of Social Sciences at UNIMAS, Andrew Aeria, wrote a thesis which claimed that CMSB takeover of Bank Utama and other companies is an example where highly profitable business are only favoured between well-connected individuals. The privatisation of state-owned companies deprived the state government of sources of income, thus raising the burden of taxpayers.
In 2000, the Sarawak cabinet had approved RM 551.02 million state contract to be awarded directly to Titanium Management Sdn. Bhd. Taib's son, Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib is a major shareholder in the company. This contract allowed Titanium to repair or replace 384 old bridges in the state in 7 years. The Malaysian 2006 auditor general report stated that agreement in the contract was favouring the contractor. There was a cost overrun of 72% from the original cost. A survey conducted by auditor-general department on 12 sites of the bridges discovered that the design of bridges over narrow rivers do not meet actual needs and were not built economically.
In 2008, the Sarawak government planned to build 12 dams in Sarawak in order to meet the future energy demand of industrialisation. These dams are scheduled to be completed in 2020 although they need to be approved by environmental impact assessment. A memorandum of understanding was already signed between the Sarawak Energy Berhad and China Three Gorges Project Corporation on Murum Dam
Murum Dam
The Murum Dam is a proposed hydroelectric dam in the province of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Concerns have been raised about the displacement of the Dayak people and the removal of rainforest due to the construction of the dam....
project. A total of 51 dams may be constructed by the year 2037. This controversial hydroelectric project is receiving fierce criticism because of catastrophic disasters that they may cause and the possible displacements of native communities. The opponents of the plans cited this project as corruption and capital cronyism because CMSB is expected to be benefited indirectly by supplying concrete material for the construction of dams and building of aluminium smelter that consume much of the generated electricity. In March 2009, Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
's '101 East' English programme was aired where the Sarawak's 12 dams issue and economic domination by Taib's family was discussed in great detail. Minister of Land Development, Dato Sri Dr. James Masing accepted the interview on this issue but the Chief Minister Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud declined the interview invitation.
James Masing, in an interview with Al Jazeera English, maintained that the contracts were awarded in a transparent manner either in open or closed tenders. He said that the state government gave the contracts based on the previous good track record of the companies, not because of the alleged political connections.
Personal wealth
Taib owns a mansion in Demak Jaya which overlooks the Sarawak River. According to photos in the July to December 2006 newsletter of Naim Cendera Holdings Bhd, Taib's living room is decorated with gilt-edged European-style sofa sets. Taib Mahmud is said to wear double-breasted suits, driving around in Kuching in his cream-coloured Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
car. Laila Taib and her children are the majority shareholders of Sitehost Pty. Ltd., Australia, which owns Adelaide Hilton Hotel, according to Aliran Monthly, the reformist Malaysian magazine. Taib was described as "flamboyant with expensive tastes" and had reportedly purchased a piano once belonged to late American showman Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
for US$2 million.
Allegations by Sarawak Report
In the latest expose, Taib is alleged to have established a real estate empire, Sakto CorporationSakto Corporation
Sakto Corporation is an award-winning Canadian based property development company which was established in 1990. Sean Murray is President and CEO.-History:Sakto Corporation was established 20 years ago...
in Canada worth a few hundred million dollars, under the name of his son-in-law, Sean Murray. This company was founded by Taib's brother Onn Mahmud, Taib's daughter Jamilah, and Sean Murray. Sean Murray and Taib's daughter has successfully won the trust of Canadian government departments to move into the their office spaces after an open and competitive lease search. The ORC briefings stated that the facilities owned by Sakto Corporation was "built to high energy and environmental specifications" and "building is green in a number of ways". Sarawak Report, run by Clare Rewcastle Brown
Clare Rewcastle Brown
Clare Rewcastle Brown is a British investigative journalist. Born in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, she is the founder of Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak which are openly critical of the Barisan Nasional-led state government of Sarawak....
also alleged that Sakti International Corporation in United States which is also managed by the same couple, owns Abraham Lincoln building which houses the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) facility, with Taib Mahmud as the ultimate owner of Sakti. Taib family is also alleged to own Ridgeford Properties
Ridgeford Properties
Ridgeford Properties is a UK-based property development company which was established in 1996. It is owned by cousins, Sean Murray and Chris Murray .-Company Profile:...
in London. Taib Mahmud admitted that his daughter owns properties in Canada and London but he denied that his daughter's properties are operated using illegal money. The longest served chief minister in Malaysia has played denial to disclose his wealth further even with growing anger and public pressure. Therefore however Datuk Seri Najib Razak has traveled to Sarawak, Taib's legacy state, to exercise last minute duty for the coming state election on 17 April 2011.
Awards and recognition
In July 2010, Taib was presented with the "Lifetime achievement" by Asia HRD Congress in order to commemorate his contributions towards developing the human capital in Sarawak especially for the establishment of University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).In December 2001, he was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, "for service to Australian-Malaysian bilateral relations".
Taib also holds honorary degrees from a number of universities including, an Honorary Degree from the University of Adelaide, Australia, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Putra, Malaysia, Honorary Doctor of Technology Degree from Curtin University of Technology, Australia, and in 1998, Taib was made the Honorary Fellow of Islamic Academy of Sciences at the Islamic Academy of Sciences, Amman, Jordan.