How did Sulaiman Taib's wife get RM70m shares?

By Joseph Tawie

KUCHING: DAP wants Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president George Chan to explain how his daughter Elisa Chan Wai Kuen @ Anisa Hamidah Abdullah received 12% of 269 acres of prime land near BDC Stampin, Kuching.

Sarawak DAP secretary-general Chong Cheing Jen said he has “solid evidence” of Elisa Chan's shareholding.

“I have solid evidence that his daughter was given 12% of the shares which are worth about RM70 million.

“Chan must explain as the people have the right to know,” said Chong, who is the Bandar Kuching MP.

He said Chan and SUPP have been telling the people that they were looking after their interests as far as land was concerned.

“But if you look at the Bako land issue where 3,000 acres of people’s land have been acquired by the government without giving satisfactory compensation and explanation and the land given to his daughter, it is obvious that Chan and SUPP are not looking after the people’s interest, but only their own interests.

“He must explain how his daughter got the state land so easily,” said Chong, adding that SUPP appeared to have adopted a new slogan -- cronies first, people last.

Elisa Chan is the wife of Sulaiman Taib, the son of the Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, and her 12% shares are being listed in a company known as Monarda Sdn Bhd.

Registered in November 2008, the company’s 100 shares have been divided among four persons. Taib's son Mahmud Abu Bakir holds the majority 52 shares.

Other shareholders are Taib's daughters' Jamilah Hamidah and Hanifah Hajar who each hold 12 shares, Anisa (12) and Chung Soon Nam (12).

Although the market value of the land is around RM500 million, Monarda paid only RM78,647,112.00.

This again is being paid in kind.

Campaign against tower

Chong, who is Kota Sentosa assemblyman, also urged Sarawakians, especially the Internet users, to support the facebook campaign against the construction of the 100-storey high Warisan Mernara building.

The proposed building was announced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in Budget 2011 proposals.

So far the campaign has registered more than 140,000 people.

“This mega project is a waste of public money, even though Najib said that it would be carried out by the private sector.

"Permodalan Nasional Bhd is owned by Yayasan Pelaboran Bumiputra, a 100% government-linked company (GLC),” Chong said, adding that it is a trust.

He added that being a GLC meant that it was still the people's money that will be used and that there was no neccessity for such a building.

“But what the government should do is to look into 10 records which need immediate attention and rectification,” he said.

The 10 are crime rate, accident rate, budget deficit, government debt amounting to RM408 billion, brain drain, unemployed graduates, illegal immigrants, corruption, multi-billionaire chief minister, and daily transport costs coupled with lack of public transport.

“All these need the government's immediate attention,” he added. - FMT