As Taib honeymoons, daggers are being sharpened at home

She has not been presented to the nation yet nor has she been accompanying Taib on his walkabouts, where he is usually seen sporting his trademark RayBans and flat cap. But for now, the newlyweds are on honeymoon. What little we know of her is that she is a 28 year-old from Jordan, who once worked as an air stewardess. The secrecy surrounding her is so intense that we do not even know her name.

Sarawak Chief minister, Taib Mahmud’s wedding last week, was a very hush-hush affair. At the akad nikah ceremony at Taib’s residence, Demak Jaya in Petra Jaya, in Kuching, only family members, relatives and close friends together with members of the state cabinet were invited. The Sarawak Mufti Kipli Yassin solemnized the union, which was followed by a short bersanding session.

According to the chief minister’s press secretary, Amin Sahmat, a wedding reception would be held the following month.

Whilst everyone would like to wish the happy couple many happy years together, there is no doubt that many would also like to congratulate Taib’s children on being extremely understanding towards their 74-year-old father and his wish to marry again.

It can’t be very easy for Taib’s four children to have lost their mother last year, but they have been very fortunate in that their father has chosen a young lady to look after him and be his companion in what must be his twilight years. Being 10 years younher than Taib's youngest daughter, Hanifah, his new wife will have lots of energy to attend to his every need. Every man needs a strong woman to accompany him in his daily activities and undertakings.

Men who are widowed and who do not find another companion find that their health deteriorates quickly and their minds are not as sharp as those who manage to find a new life partner. Taib has been lucky to find a new soul-mate, so quickly. His extensive travels abroad must have provided the perfect opportunity to meet his new wife as we are told that she is a former air-hostess. She would have had ample job experience to know a thing or two about keeping him happy.

Perhaps one little flaw is that Taib was unable to find a Malaysian, principally a Sarawakian, as his wife. But then again, he possibly prefers to keep certain matters very private, because Malaysians do have a tendency to be very nosy and might want to delve too much into his private matters.

Taib’s rambling residence will now benefit from a woman’s touch and his new wife should have a lot of fun redecorating and ordering new furniture. She might even request that the army of landscape gardeners design the extensive grounds, so as to remind herself of her middle eastern roots. Maybe Taib’s garden will benefit from palms, olive and pomegranate trees. The interior of the house will have lots of Persian rugs, scatter cushions and drapes just to remind her of home. All that gaudy Louis Farouk furniture will have to be consigned either to the skip or to the charity shops.

It is extremely noble of Taib’s daughters to agree that their father’s new wife can inherit all of the jewels that have been reserved for the women in his family. As everyone knows, Taib’s children are already well provided for and so they should not worry too much about the family jewels gracing their new step-mother’s swan-like neck and ear lobes. There is enough wealth to be shared by all.

As Taib’s sons will be busy helping out in the state elections, wouldn’t it be very gentlemanly of them to hand over the keys of the classic cars and the latest sports models, to their step-mother so that she would enjoy the thrill of driving rather than let the cars languish in the garage. Men have a habit of not allowing others to drive their treasured possessions.

And wouldn’t it be lovely if there was the patter of tiny feet very soon. At least, there will be an opportunity for Taib’s grandchildren to have a new playmate. The little boy, or girl, will have a good start in life, and if they were to holiday anywhere in the world, there is no shortage of homes to make them all feel at home.

With his wife’s youthful outlook, grace and charm, Taib will be the envy of the other men in the Sarawak state cabinet. There is nothing like one big happy family.