Ex-wife claims Taib's son has RM1bil assets in Malaysia

Shahnaz A Majid told the Kuala Lumpur Syariah High Court that her ex-husband Mahmud Abu Bekir Abdul Taib has between RM916 million and RM1.33 billion worth of assets in Malaysia.

Abu Bekir is the son of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Testifying in her RM100 million 'mutaah' (gift) claim, Shahnaz said she got the figure from accredited accountants she hired to evaluate Mahmud Abu Bekir's assets.

"These accountants will testify in court later. This follows that my former husband has shares in 49 companies in Malaysia," she said.

Shahnaz (right) said out of the 49 companies, 20 companies have been audited.

She named companies Achijaya Communications Sdn Bhd, Bumi Time Extra Sdn Bhd and Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd as some of the companies in which Mahmud Abu Bekir has stakes, which have been audited.

Other audited companies include Central Paragon Sdn Bhd, Daya Shukra Sdn Bhd, Digamma Sdn Bhd, Double Versatile Sdn Bhd, Espatial Resources Sdn Bhd, Graceful Design Sdn Bhd, Infratech Geotechnique Sdn Bhd, Kris Sakti Holdings Sdn Bhd, Kris Sakti Petroleum Sdn Bhd, Man15 Sdn Bhd, Pehin Sri Heritage Sdn Bhd, Pelitamas Bumi Sdn Bh, Sarawak Capital Sdn Bhd, Sarawak Cable Bhd, Sure Versatile Sdn Bhd, Trenergy Infrastructure Sdn Bhd, and Titanium Management Sdn Bhd.

All in all, Shahnaz, in responding to questions from her lawyer Mohd Rafie Shafie, said her ex-husband has RM219.68 million in shares from those 20 companies.

Stakes in RM1bill worth of land in Sarawak

Of the 20 companies, Shahnaz said Titanium Management, in which Mahmud Abu Bekir holds a 59.58 percent stake, also has a land bank of 11,728 ha land in Sarawak which is worth between RM339 million to RM563.056 million.

She also told the court that there are 11 companies without audited accounts where Mahmud Abu Bekir holds stakes, three of which are said to have land banks with palm oil plantations.

The three companies, where Mahmud Abu Bekir has a 47.5 percent stake each, are Bella Magic Sdn Bhd , Essential Straits Sdn Bhd, Log Oak Promotions Sdn Bhd with a total land measuring of 12,860 ha in Sarawak.

The palm oil land and stakes in the 11 companies without audited financial statements, are said to be worth between RM636.428 million and RM1.055 billion owing the varying value of the land.

Besides this, Shahnaz said Abu Bekir has a 50 percent stake in a company Ivy Craft Sdn Bhd, which owns a two-storey bungalow in Bukit Tunku, a swimming pool and an Audi car worth RM18 million.

This, she said, brings his asset worth of RM9 million.

Shahnaz also told the court that Mahmud Abu Bekir also inherited a portion of her late mother Laila Abu Talib’s 11.48 percent shares in Cahya Mata Sarawak, which brings an additional value of RM50.962 million.

"All in all, my former husband is worth between RM916 million to RM1.334 billion. A simple average of the range of the two amount is RM1.115 billion," she said in answering questions from Rafie.

Also with Rafie is lawyer Akbardin Abdul Kader, while lawyers Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar and Saadiah Din appear for Mahmud Abu Bekir.

Besides the RM100 million claim for 'mutaah', Shahnaz is seeking another RM300 million in joint matrimonial assets.

The trial continues on Nov 6 before judge Mohamad Karim Abdul Wahab.