Former Sarawak Chief Minister, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, passed away yesterday (February 21) at the age of 87.
In the weeks leading up to his passing, drama surrounding his family and his wealth had spread (and still is spreading) like wildfire.
Now, Switzerland-based NGO Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF) is calling for the Malaysian government to freeze all of Taib’s assets and reopen investigations into his immense wealth, following his passing. BMF Executive Director Lukas Straumann believes that reopening the investigation to identify the origins of Taib’s riches.
“Taib’s personal bank accounts and other assets should be frozen immediately to prevent the wealth from being appropriated by family members. In 2021, a legal opinion by BMF discovered that Taib’s involvement as director and shareholder of Malaysian company, Ramah Jelita, breached the Sarawak Constitution.”
“The company was involved in land deals in Sarawak. Taib has also been accused of abuse of public office and corruption when allowing the privatisation of Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) into the hands of his closest family members,” he said, as shared by BFM News.
He added that CMS benefited from public contracts worth over RM4.9 billion when Taib was Sarawak’s Chief Minister.
This isn’t the first time the NGO as well as other international bodies have called for Taib’s assets to be frozen for investigations into his wealth, as many have urged the Malaysian government to do so for years.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: Sarawak Ex-Governor’s Stepson Slammed for Eating Burger & Wiping Mouth with Euro Banknotes
