Maybank confirms Bekir's RM780k card expenses

A Maybank customer services manager confirmed in the Kuala Lumpur Syariah High Court today that Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, the Sarawak chief minister's son, spent more than RM780,000 on a charge card in the first six months of this year, and that there was no dispute in the billings.

Musinah Manap, 47 (right), who is with Menara Maybank on Jalan Tun Perak, Kuala Lumpur, testified that Bekir holds an American Express Platinum charge card with the account number 3762-490572-25004 and with no expenditure limit.

“The billing address is to his office at the Titanium Tower, Brighton Square, Kuching. These are computer-generated billings for the months of January to June 2012. 

“To my knowledge, the bills issued by the bank are correct and my records show there is no dispute by the holder to the transactions,” Musinah told the court.

She also said it was not odd for the bank to issue a charge card that does not carry a usage limit.

Musinah then read out in court the expenses incurred in those months, which had been highlighted by Bekir's former wife, Shahnaz Abdul Majid, at the last hearing.

These include expenses incurred in London, Dusseldorf in Germany, France, the renting of cars from Avis and the purchase of a watch costing more than RM100,000.

Musinah told the court that she had been authorised by Maybank to disclose the expenses incurred by Bekir. 

Earlier, the lawyers for Shahnaz (right), Rafie Mohd Shafie and Akbardin Abdul Kadir, informed the court that several bank officers would testify on Mahmud's bank accounts. 

Objection allowed

However, Bekir's lawyers protested and the court accepted Berkir's preliminary objection to his former wife's move to get the bank officers to verify his bank statements.

The lawyers representing Shahnaz had summoned the bank officers to verify certain documents from the banks and not testify or be cross-examined by the other side.

They made the move in an application under Section 93 of the Syariah Federal Territory Procedures Act, that allows them to summon anybody for documentation purposes, with the other party not being given the right to cross-examine.

Bekir's lawyers Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar and Saadiah Din objected to the application on the grounds they were only informed of the development today and that they needed to cross-examine the witnesses called.

Syariah High Court judge Mohamad Abdullah allowed the objection in the interest of justice for both parties.

Justice Mohamad also ordered Shahnaz's lawyers to apply to call the bank officers as proper witnesses so the other side could cross-examine them.

Shahnaz's lawyers Rafie (left) and Akbardin protested and asked the court to review its ruling, since Section 93 gives them the grounds to do so.

Rafie argued that before the judge could step down (from presiding) over their objection, he could review his own decision, and that at this stage the plaintiff had the discretion on how it could conduct its case.

Zainul Rijal said if Shahnaz's lawyers were not satisfied with the ruling, they could always seek a review. However, Justice Mohamad maintained his decision and granted a short adjournment for Shahnaz's lawyers to decide on their next course of action.

After a short break Rafie decided to call Musinah to testify, despite Shahnnaz having not completed her examination-in-chief, to testify on Shahnaz's claims. 

Bank officers from several local banks were also seen in the public gallery.

Shahnaz is seeking RM400 in million matrimonial assets and gift from Bekir (right) following their divorce.

She had already testified that her husband, the son of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, had RM700 million in his foreign accounts and many millions more in local banks.

Shahnaz had previously testified that her former husband had spent in more than RM750,000 on a single charge card in the first six months of this year.

However, at the last session, the documents she tendered to the court were only marked for identification and not as evidence, on grounds that she was not the maker of the documents.

Before the session ended today, Rafie asked the court to block several more dates as he wanted to subpoena chief executive officers from foreign banks to testify and needed the court to fix a full day's hearing for this.

Hearing resumes on Dec 24 before Justice Mohamad. The court also fixed Feb 26 and 27 and March 6 and 13 as the dates for the hearing to continue.