TAIB MAHMUD tells Muslims: MONEY is not enough to make you happy!

Sarawak's controversial chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said Islam encouraged tolerance among all communities including non-Muslims, and said there was better understanding now about the religion as more Muslims in the West tried to build rapport with non-Muslims.

But he said while economic interests take frontline in the current process of globalisation, wealth alone could not ensure happiness.

"The world has become a global community. Of course, it is spearheaded by economic interest rather than any other influences but economic interest alone is not enough to make live [sic] really enjoyable for most of us who have some ideas to support,” he said as quoted by Sarawak-based English daily Borneo Post.

He was speaking at the general assembly of Regional Islamic Dakwah Council of Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Riseap), of which he is the president.

Taib expressed worries about the possibility of Muslims engaging in "subversive" activities, saying this could cause unnecessary frictions in their ties with non-Muslims.

He added that any wrong step by Muslims could give their religion a bad name.

“I have to say this because we do not like to see any accident that can become false propaganda about Muslims and give them a bad name. I feel that many areas are still having problem about Muslims’ roles but I believe the world is moving in such a way that will promise them a better future,” the daily quoted him as saying.

On the role of Muslims in the economic sphere, Taib said more Muslim businessmen were on the fore.

“The world is coming to a position where the role of Muslim businessmen and Muslim bankers, and Muslim leaders generally are going to be easily recognized,” he said, while urging Muslims to exploit the global halal industry worth an estimated US$1 trillion.

Taib has been at the centre of several allegations of extraordinary wealth. Last year, Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund revealed an audit report on him showing an estimated wealth at a staggering US$15 billion. The report among others claimed that Taib’s family had amassed the wealth alongside an empire of over 400 companies worldwide over the past 30 years.

In March this year, Taib again was thrust into limelight by an explosive video of corruption involving his relatives after whistleblower group Global Witness uploaded the clip on YouTube.

In the video, the group's undercover journalist disguised as a prospective investor in Sarawak was told that Singapore facilitated tax evasion by those closely linked with Malaysia's ruling politicians by withholding information requested by Kuala Lumpur. This led to a strong denial by the city state, who maintained that its banks did not welcome 'dirty money' ala-Switzerland.

- Harakah Daily