Malaysian politician’s son admits USD 315 million fortune

Malaysian politician’s son admits USD 315 million fortune

Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, the son of Sarawak Governor Taib Mahmud, declared in court he owns 50 companies worth MYR 1.185 billion (USD 315 million) – Taib son was given 70,000 hectares of state land by Sarawak government “to pay for bridge constructions“ – Bruno Manser Fund demands that Sarawak state government publishes all land transfers to senior politicians’ family members

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA. Mahmud Abu Bekir („Bekir“) Taib, the son of Sarawak Governor and former Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, today admitted in court that he owned a fortune of USD 315 million (1.185 Malaysian Ringgit). The declaration was made during divorce procedings in response to a forensic report produced by his ex-wife’s lawyer.

According to Malaysiakini, Bekir said he owned or was a major shareholder of 50 companies, including construction conglomerate Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS), Sarawak Cable and Titanium Management. Bekir further said that one of his companies, Titanium Management, was given state contracts to build 300 bridges in Sarawak and was paid with 70,000 hectares of state land when his father was still Chief Minister as well as Planning and Resources Minister.

“It is shocking to learn that a Sarawak minister’s son was paid with thousands of hectares of state land for a public contract“, Lukas Straumann, the executive director of the Bruno Manser Fund said. “Bekir’s admission raises lots of questions. Where are these 300 bridges and was their construction actually completed? Why were these contracts granted to the Chief Minister’s son in the first place? What lands were involved and how was their value calculated?“

The Bruno Manser Fund demands that the Sarawak government publish all land transfers to senior politicians’ family members since Taib Mahmud became Chief Minister.

„If Chief Minister Adenan Satem and the MACC are serious in fighting corruption in Sarawak, they need to start with the Taib family“, Straumann said.

With a USD 315 million fortune, Bekir would rank #41 among Malaysia’s richest, according to the Forbes rich list 2015.

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