Taib’s son sued RM2.2m by interior design firm over bungalow project

Sarawak governor and former chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s son Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib is being sued for almost RM2.2 million by the former interior designer of his bungalow project.

Bangsar-based luxury interior design firm Tatum (KL) Sdn Bhd had on Aug 20 filed a suit with the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, claiming it was owed the amount by Abu Bekir’s company Ivy Craft Sdn Bhd.

According to the court documents sighted by Malaysiakini, Tatum claimed that it had a contract that was “unlawfully terminated” and was thus entitled to be paid for all services previously rendered, plus damages and costs.

The RM2,188,178.69 it demanded constituted RM304,798.69 in fees, RM1,881,880 in damages and RM1,500 in costs.

Tatum also demanded that Abu Bekir declares that he had “unilaterally and unlawfully” terminated the contract.

In August 2013, Tatum signed its first contract with Abu Bekir’s company to perform the interior design and its second in July 2015 to supply furniture, fittings and equipment for his bungalow project located in Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur.

Abu Bekir later issued letters to Tatum, stating his intention to terminate both contracts following a fallout with the project architect, whom Tatum had recommended.

Tatum’s suit is on the second 2015 contract.

Tatum contended that a clause in the second contract states that the firm would be paid for “all services rendered up to the date of termination without prejudice to (Tatum’s) rights to claim for other damages suffered as a result of unlawful termination”.

The firm also claimed that there was “no substantial failure” on its part which justified the termination.

Malaysiakini has contacted Abu Bekir's lawyers, Messrs James Monteiro, and awaiting their response on Tatum’s writ of summons.

First interior design job paid

Before the fallout, Abu Bekir had duly paid Tatum for the first interior design contract after work was completed.

In August 2015, he also paid the firm RM1,224,569.93 for the furniture, fittings and equipment supplied by Tatum. The amount was 30 percent of the total sum owed.

However, following a fallout with the project’s Dutch architect, Abu Bekir decided to review Tatum’s contracts and demanded a full refund of the RM1,224,569.93 previously paid to the firm.

When Tatum refused, he sent the firm a series of letters stating he wanted to terminate both contracts.

Abu Bekir’s most recent correspondence was a letter of demand issued by his lawyers in July this year where he demanded RM2,313,452.07 from Tatum.

In response, Tatum’s lawyers Messrs Tay and Partners filed the above suit to deny all “allegations”, which were not detailed in the court documents, and to refuse the amount demanded by Abu Bekir. - Mkini