Change We Must

Quality Concrete Holdings as in Quality Concrete Holdings Bhd, under the stock name QUALITY and stock code: 7544, that is listed on KLSE?

Lee Ling Timber Products Sdn Bhd

Base on the company profile, the company is an investment holding company with activities in six major business segments, none of which is logging. Only one of their subsidiary, Lee Ling Timber Products Sdn Bhd is involved in the timber industry as a manufacturer of timber products and sawmiller.

Have they violated any provisions of KLSE Listing Rules, Company’s Act.

If the timber concession is awarded to Quality Concrete Holdings Sdn Bhd, some one is seriously wrong. How can a timber concession be granted to a company that do not have logging as their principal activity?

We will leave the above questions for now.

A group of villagers have accused the Sarawak forestry department of blatant disregard of their native customary rights (NCR) over their communal forests.

Activists Nicholas Mujah and Numpang Anan Suntai who are helming the group said the department was refusing to suspend the license issued to logging company, Quality Concrete Holding to stop harvesting of timber in their ‘pulau galau’ (communal forest).

“The department has been informed by the land and survey department through a letter that the area is confirmed to be native customary rights land.

“Yet the department does not want to take action against Quality Concrete Holdings, which continues to log trees in the communal forest,” said Mujah, who is the secretary general of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) in a letter of complaint to Suhakam.

“The logging activities have destroyed a large number of our rubber and fruit trees and cash crops,” he said, pointing out that such activities will also disturb their shrines, graveyards and their sources of incomes.

He added that the the logging activities was also polluting the people’s source of drinking water as well as disturbing the habitat of some of the protected animals such as the proboscis monkeys, orang utan, hornbills, deer and peacock.

The area is also the home of some of the rarest species of timber such as belian (iron wood) and selangan batu which fetches up to RM4,000 a tonne.

Five longhouses namely Kampung Entangor, Kg Sungai Ijok, Kg Arus, Kg Tungkah Dayak and Kg Ensika are directly affected by the logging activities.

“All these are clear violations of the rights of the villagers and environmental hazards,” he said, calling on Suhakam to carry out an immediate investigation into the violation of human rights by the forest department and the company.

Longhouse chiefs getting ‘kickbacks’
Meanwhile, Sadia has also received complaints that certain Penghulu and longhouse chiefs had allegedly received ‘kickbacks’ from the company for their cooperation.

“If this is true, then both the company and longhouse chiefs have committed corruption,” he said and urged the resident office of Kota Samarahan to investigate the claim.

His group, he said, would lodge a report with the MACC over the ‘kickbacks’ as well as against the forest department for refusing to suspend the licence it issued to the company.

The trouble between Quality Concrete Holdings and the natives began in April this year when the company received a licence from the forest department.

It allowed them to log timber in 3,305 ha of communal forests in Bukit Salbu, Bukit Birut, Bukit Bederi, Bukit Bekutu, Bukit Ijok and Bukit Sandong.

Despite their protests and blockades, the company and the forest department continue to bulldoze their way to the communal forest.

The licence is expected to expire by the end of the year.

Joseph Tawie @ Free Malaysia Today

Abdul Taib’s mansion at Seattle, US for a paltry sum of $1?
This is corruption and a kickback from the Samling Group! Money from logging and exploitation of the Dayak NCR Land. Samling group have been embroiled in controverys in their activities not only in Sarawak, but in nearby Papua New Guinea. Their controversy not only attracted attention in Sarawak, Malaysia, but internationally, resulting in the Norwegian government selling down their investments. Some of their logging activities are facing resistance in the local Courts if not facing blockades by the Dayaks.

PM Najib should order a complete suspension of all logging and oil palm development activities in Sarawak till the completion of “Survey of NCL Boundary”. Failing which it is as good as the Malaysian government endorsing the theft of NCR Land and oppression of the Dayak Community.

Read on and enjoy yet another exposure of how Abdul Taib Mahmud went on to be one of the richest man in Malaysia if not South East Asia or the whole World.

How can Sarawakians rank among one of the poorest in Malaysia? Rural Dayak amongst the poorest with many living in poverty and from hand to mouth with dwindling forest to cultivate corps and hunt for food!

Wonder whether Abdul Taib Mahmud is richer than Quek Leng Chan, Vincent Tan, Ananda Khrisnan, Robert Kuok, Wee Chow Yaw, Yeoh Tiong Lay of the Maluri Group controlled by Tun Daim’s Family!

Zulhaidah.com

In yet another exhaustive investigation, Sarawak Report have expose yet another of Abdul Taib Mahmud’s Abuse of Power and collusion with his cronys to steal the wealth of Sarawakians. ….

Sarawak Report would like to enquire of Abdul Taib Mahmud how much he paid for the mansion that Samling passed on to his family in Seattle, USA ?

The residence forms an enormous property, standing in its own grounds in one of the most prestigious area of Seattle on Boylston Avenue. It was passed from a Samling-owned company to a company now owned by Abdul Taib Mahmud and his family, for just one US dollar in 1991

A dormant company with a paid up company of RM100 acquiring properties totalling RM78 million plus? But than, not only is Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family the share holder, SUPP President, George Chan’s daughter who is married to YB Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib is also a share holder!

Surely something can and have to be done by PM Najib and MACC!

“Billionaire” Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is once again in the spotlight – this time it is a land property alienated to his family members at an “obscenely” cheap price.

The property has a market value of RM500 million, but it went to a company under his family business empire for only about RM78 million.

This disclosure is certain to stoke up more anger against Taib, popularly known as the White Rajah, who reportedly owns a portfolio of properties worth billions of ringgit in Sarawak and worldwide.

The latest “discovery” is three parcels of prime state land totalling 269 acres at the BDC housing project, Stampin, which has been alienated to a company called Monarda Sdn Bhd.

Registered in November 2008, the company’s 100 shares have been divided among four persons, namely Mahmud Abu Bakir Taib (Taib’s son) — 52 shares, Jamilah Hamidah Taib (Taib’s daughter) — 12 shares, Hanifah Hajar Taib (Taib’s daughter) — 12 shares, Anisa Hamidah Abdullah @Elisa Chan Wai Kuen — 12 shares and Chung Soon Nam — 12 shares.

Free Malaysia Today

continue reading…

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim

Is it not time now that the citizens of Sabah and Sarawak change the subservient politics which has characterised the way these two states have conducted themselves? To do that, we need active, strong and well coordinated and united Opposition political parties in Sabah and Sarawak to complement the strength of the Opposition parties in Peninsular. Until we have such a strong and united Opposition in Sabah and Sarawak, Federal power will continue to elude us.

How do you make yourself a cohesive political force that can alter the course of our nation’s history? How can you bring about the changes in local politics and assume power after many years of BN abuse? These are the challenges you are faced with but which I believe you can overcome. I am not an expert in local politics but will venture a few suggestions.

For umpteen years (well at least for the past 30 years, when i first voted at about the time when DAP set foot on Sarawak), Sarawakians especially in the Urban areas (most notably in Padungan) have been voting against Tun Abdul Rhman Yaakub and subsequently Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in State Elections. Meaning they are voicing their disatisfaction with the Nepotism, Collusion, Cronyism, Corruption and abuses by the Chief Executive via the ballot boxes. However, to ensure continuity in development funds and hoping to get some assistance as far as chinese education is concerned, Urban Sarawak Voters prefer to give their votes to Barisan Nasional. This is however not a fixed trend and Sarawakians tend to alternate between voting for the Opposition for State Seats and Barisan Nasional for Parliamentary Seats and vice versa. From this we can say “It is not only Melayu Muda Lupa, Sarawakians, especially the Urban Voters also Muda Lupa”. Like a “Yoyo” or “Roller Coaster”, they change their voting style when they discover the person they voted did not deliver and the experiment goes on till 2006.

In 2006 and in a rare show of gross disatisfaction, both seats (that is State and Parliament for the constituency of Padungan) went to the opposition. In that year, Sarawak also wrote the script for Tsunami 0308 when SUPP lost almost all Urban Seats they contested.

In short, Sarawakians are disgusted with how they are treated and the feeling is there is collusion between the Federal and State Government to marginalise Sarawakians and their inability to stop the plundering of the states wealth and vast natural resources. In fact it got much worst in the past 20 years and started with Tun Dr Mahathir’s reign. Well at least Padungan Voters decided in 2006, enough is enough.

The same can not be said of the rural voters. To them there is only know one government and that is the “Dacing”. However with regular activities by Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak, they are now more aware. Will this translate into votes? This is hard to tell. One thing is sure, they have endured much hardship since the formation of Malaysia and are beginning to know they have been short changed and resent Barisan Nasional. However after close to half a century of hardship, we have to understand their fear. To many any government, whether it is Pakatan Rakyat or “Dacing” is the same.

Deep down, we have a feeling, for them to feel and see the difference between a Pakatan Rakyat government and Barisan Nasional, they want to see something tangible. Mere talking through Ceramahs will not do. The scenario is not the same as West Malaysia. In West Malaysia, Urban migration have ensured the rural voters are updated regularly via phone conversations and the regular “Balik Kampungs”.

Firstly, the Dayaks who form the majority in Sarawak must really want change. They must feel in their veins that they no longer wish to endure the indignity and the economic hardship they continue to suffer under the rule of BN. They must recognise that they can play a bigger role, in fact a leadership role in the future of Sarawak. They can if they have the will to uplift the sordid conditions in which their people live. They must reject the politics of money where handouts are given each time the BN wants their vote. Take their money and reject them, like the people of Sibu did. They must want to rule and determine their own future and not leave their destiny in the hands of political warlords who are also proxies of Federal leaders. How can the Dayaks, the Chinese, the Melanaus and the Malays not see the need to work together for their common good; to stop the plunder of Native Customary Rights lands, the wastage and corruption as exemplified by the Bakun Dam project? There are educated and politically committed Dayaks and other bumiputras who should be able to galvanise a united force against BN, but they must do that now. We used to have Temenggong Jugah, Stephen Kalong Ningkan, and Tawi Sli and others as leaders but where are the Dayaks now?

Secondly, the Opposition groups in Sabah and Sarawak must learn to trust one another and to have a new political culture of consensus building. They must value on unity and accept ethnic diversity and have genuine interest to help the people. This means the politics of dominance by one group over another must be rejected. This means rich towkays must not be allowed to control the course of politics. If you have suffered by the dominance and abuse of Federal power and if you have suffered in the hands of authoritarian leaders, then you must not make the same mistake by selecting leaders who will do the same under a different name. You must learn to trust one another rather than resorting to the easy way out of cavorting with Federal leaders, or getting blessings of leaders in Kuala Lumpur. You cannot raise and speak for your people if you are afraid to speak and stand up for yourself.

Change is not about changing leaders. What matters is about changing to the right kind of leadership. We live in a complex multi ethnic and multi religious country. We live in a Malaysia today that has shown visible signs of being schizophrenic; racist, prejudiced and fascistic in its behaviour. We have to show a leadership that is different from BN, a leadership that will put a stop to this madness. a leadership that wants to change the course of the nation where we can and should treat all Malaysians as equals, where we practice real democracy, and where the rule of just laws are available to all citizens. We want a government that respect the rights and the dignity of its people.

Sabah and Sarawak now have the golden opportunity to restore political power in their own hands for the first time since 1963. It is meaningless to talk of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and to lament how unfairly you have been treated in the last 47 years unless you exercise political leverage at the federal level. The next election is one golden opportunity to work together in securing such leverage.

The question is how much does the Sabah and Sarawak leaders value this leverage? I am a Malaysian – not an East Malaysian or West Malaysian. To me, a backward Kelantan is as painful a sight as a Sabah and Sarawak left behind by other states. I want to see Sabah and Sarawak develop and grow into mature democracies and become economically developed states. I also believe only Sarawakians know what’s best for Sarawak, and only Sabahans know what’s good for Sabah. I do not subscribe to the view that Sabah and Sarawak should be subservient to Federal control other than in areas clearly stipulated in the Constitution. The spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 must be honoured and respected.

The State election is around the corner. You will have the golden opportunity to declare the message – WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. Make this your rallying cry: Datuk Patinggi Taib and Datuk Panglima Musa Aman – WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. Send them packing and usher in the new dawn. The choice is yours – whether you want to be making history by propagating change or whether you will be judged by history as those who were afraid to change.

Read full article @ Zaid Untuk Rakyat

Chinese, Indian Felt They Are Marginalised, Malay Threatened, Who Cares About Dayaks?

Discussion on Malaysian politics has always been centered along racial line – ie how to protect the interests of Malays, Chinese and to lesser extend the Indian – but not the Dayaks or the natives of Sarawak?

Yeah, let’s grab their lands, while we still can shall we!

It is to everyone amusement, really, why the so call Dayak leaders (Jabu, Masing, Mawan) keeping an ‘elegant silence’ on this matter – although it could mean death or alive to their communities – literally. Did they not feel the Dayaks also been marginalized, threatened all along?

Whose faults were that? NEP, NDP or Razak, Mahathir?
In a close examination of Malaysia’s development policies, particularly the NEP and NDP, Associate Prof Dr Madeline Berma found that these policies had in fact benefited the Chinese more than the Dayak and the natives of Sabah (recently termed as bumiputera minority) although they are the target group under the two policies.

In an article ‘Towards The National Vision Policy: Reveiw of the New Economic Policy and New Development Policy Among the Bumiputera Communities In Sarawak‘ she said sufficient evidence showed that the government had succeeded in reducing poverty by increasing Malay and bumiputera minority income level.

“However the government has achieved little success in redistributing wealth to the bumiputera minority (Dayaks) as reflected in their limited control and ownership of physical capital (machinery, real estate), corporate equity and human capital (education and skills).

According to her, the pro-bumiputera (Malay) economic policy of distributing income appeared to be coherent and succeeded in the initial years, because the majority of poor are bumiputeras.

But, moving forward, the real challenges for Malaysia government is no longer about forming an economic policy that centered around political rhetoric of improving inequality – ie., between bumiputera (Malay) and non-bumiputera, but more on addressing the widening gap between bumiputera (Malay) and the non-Malay bumiputera.

The natives - including the Penan have not only excluded from the benefits of NEP, NDP but also denied their rights particularly over their own ancestral lands by the government.

As Dr Madeline argued in her article by focusing on inter-ethnic inequality, current policies will lead to widening inequality within the bumiputera; the very community that these policies aim to support and protect, and give ‘preferential treatment’.

The continued used of ethnicity as the foundation of economic policy is no longer coherent. Continuing the pro-Malay oriented economic policy would apparently lead to internal contradictions and tension within the bumiputera community.

Chinese and Malays the biggest beneficiaries of NEP, NDP
In Sarawak, it was the Malays, Chinese and the Melanaus closely linked to Taib who benefited the most from economic growth during the NEP and NDP period of Razak and Mahathir premiership.

In fact, government policies appear to be bias against bumiputera minority in public sector, employment and business support according to Dr Madeline, who is a professor of economic at UKM.

“While an increasing number of bumiputera majority (Malay) have entered the modern and lucrative sectors in Malaysia, the fact remains that economic growth during NEP and NDP period did not equally benefit the majority of natives in Sabah and Sarawak.

“They continue to predominate the less lucrative sector of agriculture in the rural areas. More glaringly is the failure of government assisting bumiputera minority to own corporate equity as allocated to the Malays.

One can say that the sectoral restructuring of the NEP and NDP only flowed one way. These two policies succeeded in moving the Malays into urban commercial sectors where they were once under-represented but hardly succeeded in moving non-Malay bumiputera out of sectors where they are over-represented (agricultural).

The gradualist approach of the goverment toward non-Malay bumiputera economic development, if not properly adressed can and will frustrate the nascent of bumiputera minority who felt they have not benefited from the policies that were designed to uplift them.

Many non-Malay bumiputera in fact resentful that they receive much less than what they desire and believe they deserve.

Get rid of the term Bumiputera
Perhaps as an attempted to conceal this widening disparity government classify the various ethnic group in this country officially into bumiputera and non-bumiputera. The Malays and the indigenous communities of Sabah and Sarawak are classified as bumiputera.

Such classification gave the impression that government policies are neutral – it has similar effect on all bumiputera groups irrespective of their ethnic background.

This effect is most evident in official statistics where the less economically advantaged non-Malay bumiputera are classified as bumiputera together with the Malays – who are economically advanced.

Methoporically, one can say that the non-Malay bumiputera is statistically invicible!

Owing to this classification and definitional ‘errors’ or ‘problems’ non-Malay bumiputera achievement is either over or understated, thus giving incorrect signals to policy-makers.

Bintulu.org

Little wonder, after the mysterious disappearance of the money raised from Ekran’s RM2 billion bond issue, Ting Pek Khing was rumoured to be viciously attacked by some of his workers and sub-contractors who are not paid for work done at Kuching International Airport Extension!

Bakun Dam

The construction of the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam may soon be over, with impoundment said to take place soon.

But the woes of the indigenous community forced to leave their ancestral home to make way for the multi-billion ringgit dam more than a decade ago have yet to be resolved.

Instead of the ‘development’ promised in 1998, said Kenyah lawyer Abun Sui Anyit, the 10,000-odd people have only experienced “reverse development” with living conditions continuing to slide.

“Nothing much has changed. When we lived in our original longhouses we had access to clinics and schools too. The difference is now we have gone ‘negative’ with so many bills to pay,” he said.

Between September 1998 and July 1999, about 10,000 Kayan, Kenyah, Lahahan, Ukit and Penan people were forced to uproot even though the project was halted the year before due to the Asian Financial Crisis.

Figures disclosed in Parliament showed that Ekran Sdn Bhd, directly awarded the project in 1994 six months before it produced an environmental assessment impact (EIA), was paid about RM1 billion as ‘compensation’ for the halt.

In 1996, the High Court ruled in favour of three members of the Bakun indigenous community who sued the federal and state government for not making the EIA available to them before approving it.

The appeal by the federal and Sarawak governments were, however, upheld by the Court of Appeal the following year.

Compensation yet unpaid
The federal government’s ‘generosity’ towards Ekran did not extend to the 1,640 families who were moved from their homes along the Hilir Balui to Sungai Asap, some 30km from the dam.

In fact, Ekran, along with several other oil palm companies, continue to receive the better end of the deal, with the natives deprived of good cultivation land to make way for plantations.

Having been conceded three hectares per family despite their demands of 10 hectares, each family was finally allotted only 1.2 hectares of bad quality land each.

This led the natives to farm beyond their allotted land, leading to an eviction by the Land and Survey Department in 2007, despite calls for negotiations.

According to the Borneo Institute of Research, the idea was for the natives to work for the plantations, instead of growing their own food as per tradition.

Ironically, according to a report following a fact-finding mission by the Coalition of Concerned NGOs (Gabungan) in 1999, jobs were scarce, leaving the natives to survive on their compensation while struggling to adjust to a cash economy.

In fact, said Hary who was made to move as a teenager, whatever compensation they did receive was spent on fixing up the shoddy homes provided.

Shoddy homes

Typical Longhouse Activity

Gabungan found the longhouses, which were not awarded certificates of fitness, were shoddily made and that the wood used was rotting, barely a year after the move.

Hary added that many also had to spend large chunks of their compensation on buying four-wheel-drive vehicles to travel along the logging trails to the next town for provisions.

This is despite promises of roads, shops and other amenities and facilities like schools, clinics, electricity and water.

To date, Sungai Asap has a clinic, town centre and schools, although the dam contractor Malaysia China Hydro Joint Venture (MCHJV) noted that the secondary school was only built in 2008, 10 years after the move.

He added that many have opted to go without electricity and water after being slapped with a lump sum bill for usage between 1998 to 2008.

When they moved, it was promised that these amenities would be provided for free until they “can get used to cash transactions”.

Likewise, the natives were also shortchanged as poor survey work meant that large portions of land and crops were unaccounted for leading to inadequate compensation, which is slow to trickle in anyway.

The government has however shown more haste when it comes to collecting the RM52,000 as payment for the shoddy homes.

Not compenstated
But this is an amount the natives are refusing to pay since they did not get compensation for their homes which they had to leave, Hary said.

After Ekran, Sime Darby was roped in to undertake the Project in JV with China Hidro

To their credit, MCHJV and other corporate stakeholders like Sime Darby, which have suffered losses of close to a billion ringgit on the project, have made efforts to alleviate the problems faced by the community.

Through crafts, the Internet and eco-tourism workshops, the companies, as well as the government, who recently announced more aide for Bakun smallholders, hope to create sustainable sources of income for the natives.

But for Abun Sui, it is a matter of too little too late, as the “cosmetic” efforts are not only distracting from the fact that compensation is still owed, but also fails to address the fundamental problems faced by the community.

“The government has been dealing with Bakun for 29 years and yet they had no plans on how to assist these communities in their transition to their new lives,” he said.

There have been reports of social ills growing among the “restless” youth in Sungai Asap, with teen pregnancy and heavy drinking on the rise, observed Bintulu-based Indigenous People Development Centre.

The steady stream of families leaving the settlement for their original homes, despite lack of amenities and risk of eviction, is also evidence of failure to adjust, said Abun Sui.

“There have been cases in other dams around the world where the indigenous community are allowed to stay on the fringes of the dam, as the water is not going to be used for drinking. But here, they would rather give the land to plantation owners,” he said.

No guilt
The recent federal government announcement that it will allocate RM20 million for native and customary rights land surveys also came too late in the day for the Bakun community.

Their battle for NCR land was in April thwarted when the Court of Appeal sitting in Putrajaya upheld a Kuching High Court decision taken on April 28, 2008, removing all obstacles to impoundment.

The Court of Appeal affirmed the validity of the extinguishment of NCR under Section 5(3) and (4) of the Sarawak Land Code, whereby plaintiffs Bato Bagi and others cannot reclaim their former native customary land (NCL) for which the government has compensated them.

The government has also mostly stonewalled over their demands, with a memorandum sent to the then deputy prime minister Abdullah Badawi in 2001 coming to naught.

Another sent to the Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud (right) in 2008, demanding the fulfilment of promises made in 1998, was also not entertained.

The raising of these issues by Orang Ulu lawyer Baru Bian to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity in 2006, headed by then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Bernard Dompok, have appeared to have fallen on deaf ears.

This is perhaps not surprising considering Sarawak Land Development Minister and indigenous person James Masing’s stance, telling al-Jazeera that he has no guilt and that their approach to “development” of the indigenous is right.

Election hopes
Not to be cowed, however, Hary with the help of Abun Sui and other lawyers from the Sarawak Indigenous Lawyers’ Association (SILA) have drafted a 12-point document dubbed the Bakun Agreement outlining all the demands of the community.

The document, which is in its final stages of drafting, is a compilation of promises made by the government prior to the resettlement and is meant to be legally binding.

But abiding to this agreement will see the state and federal government forking out millions every year for as long as the dam is in use, or at least for 999 years, making it a very tall order.

But with the state election looming near, and the Belaga constituency where Bakun is located said to be a hot ticket, hope is still high.

Malaysiakini

Sime Darby is a GLC (Government Linked Company) under Khazanah Nasional or PNB. If they can pay RM17 million to purchase a piece of paper from Nature Ambience which ultimately give them the right to develop Oil Palm Plantation over 26,211 ha of Native Customary Rights land in Kapit and Julau in Sarawak, it is not surprising they are in such a situation.

On our part, we have already heard Sime Darby’s part of the story, particularly by the group opposed to the decision being made in this transaction.

As it prepares to release its much-anticipated full-year results, Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby has hit the headlines – this time in Indonesia for failing to make good on a breach of contract payment amounting to US$25.8 million (excluding interest) that it owes to financial consultancy PT Adhiyasa Saranamas (PTAS).

News of the Indonesian dispute has sparked investor concern that Sime may not have fully provided for the amount as interest and damages for the non-payment may have almost doubled the judgment sum to US41 million (RM131 million).

As it is, all eyes are already on the troubled Malaysian GLC, which is due to announce its results for the year ending June 30, 2010 on August 26. Of particular interest is its loss provisioning, which some analysts have already warned might go as high as RM2.5 billion.

“By comparison with the Bakun Dam losses in the Energy and Utilities Division, the PTAS claim is very small to Sime but it is still solid money,” an analyst at a Malaysian brokerage told Malaysia Chronicle.

“The point is why the delay and was there corporate mismanagement? It doesn’t have to be corruption all the time but it could have been inefficiency, incompetency and ill-judgment – these qualities are also bad.”

Malaysia Chronicle

260 California Street, San Francisco - Bijou Sakti Office Block

Sarawak Report has uncovered devastating documents which prove that Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sarawak’s Chief Minister, is the real owner of millions of dollars of property assets held in the name of family members abroad.

The damning discovery lays bare a system of private deals, which enabled the Chief Minister to conceal his true ownership of the properties. This was presumably in order to hide the extent of his enormous wealth, for which he has yet to provide any legitimate explanation.

Under the system, whilst it is Taib’s relatives who are publicly registered as the official shareholders and directors of the companies owning the properties, a separate, private agreement ensures that the shares are actually held in trust for him.

Documentary evidence of elaborate concealment
Among documents in its possession Sarawak Report has a copy of one such private agreement relating to the shares in Sakti International, a company that owns buildings in San Francisco. Sakti is part of a web of companies started in North America by the Taibs, which includes Sakto, a major Ottawa property company, and Wallysons, which owns the Abraham Lincoln Building in Seattle, housing a top secret anti-terrorist facility for the FBI.

Abdul Taib Mahmud's shares were held by his family members as trustees

The five official shareholders of Sakti International, which is registered in California, are Taib’s brothers, Onn Mahmud and Arip Mahmud, along with three of his children, Sulaiman Taib, Mahmud Taib and Jamilah Taib.

However, as the document which we have obtained shows, a resolution made soon after the formation of the company has privately ruled that half those shares (a commanding majority) are held in trust for the Chief Minister. The value of these shares amounts to 40 million US dollars for Sakti alone, according to the company’s own documents.

Tip of the iceberg?
However, Sakti International, estimated to be worth US$80 million, accounts for just a small proportion of the Taib family wealth. Our previous exposes have revealed a vast portfolio of further international property assets, which are owned by members of Taib Mahmud’s immediate family.

For example, Taib’s own children are the shareholders and directors of numerous companies controlling residential and commercial buildings in Canada, Australia, Britain and the United States together worth hundreds of millions of US dollars. Yet, suspiciously, many of these assets came into their possession when they were in their early 20s and still college students with no visible access to legitimate resources to invest. The inevitable question for Taib Mahmud, therefore, is whether, as in the case of Sakti International, they are also secretly holding these other properties in trust for him? If not, what explanation can there be for these investments?

A number of reports have already been made to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding the recent disclosures of the Taib family wealth. These new revelations proving the direct link to the Chief Minister will increase the pressure on the MACC to respond with a proper investigation.

Further Fingerprints

Chief Minister's name in black and white, listed as a Director Of Sakti International

The Sakti International documents in our possession, released as part of the disclosure in a recent court case, provide further extensive evidence of Taib Mahmud’s involvement in the company, despite his denials of any business connections. Indeed one of the company’s earliest official documents, signed in 1987, even lists him as one of the Directors of Sakti International.

The document in question is a Domestic Stock Corporation Statement for Sakti International, which is required annually by the State of California. In 1987, the year the company was set up, its inaugural statement clearly registers Taib Mahmud, along with his brothers Onn Mahmud and Arip Mahmud, as a Director of the company. The only officer of the company is listed as Mahmud Taib, the Chief Minister’s eldest son.

It is well-known that in subsequent Taib family enterprises the Chief Minister has always scrupulously avoided including his own name in any documentation. This early mistake will undermine his constant claims that, in keeping with his role as Chief Minister, he has no direct business interests. It is clear that he, in fact, set up Sakti International, using the address of his own house in San Francisco.

Cover Up
Subsequently, records show that the structure of the company was altered to make Onn, Arip and Mahmud Taib the three Directors, while Rahman became the only officer of the company. But, as we are now able to exclusively report, Taib Mahmud secretly retained his control through a resolution by the company directors dated April 8th 1988. This resolution placed 500 of the 1,000 shares issued by the company in trust for him.

The Godfather
The Sakti documents give a fascinating insight into the manipulative methods used by Taib Mahmud to control his family members, who are supposedly the earners and ‘businessmen’ who have generated the Taibs’ legendary wealth. The five relatives who were selected to own shares in Sakti International were each been given a different number of shares. Each then surrendered differing proportions of these shares to be held in trust for the Chief Minister.

Brother Onn Mahmud gets 400 shares, but of them 200 are held for the Chief Minister, whereas brother Arip gets just 200 shares, 100 of which are in trust for Taib. Mahmud Taib has the same arrangement ast Arip. However younger brother, Sulaiman Rahman Taib, who was later made sole Director of Sakti, only gets 100 shares under the agreement and they are all in fact held in trust for his father. Daughter Jamilah also only gets 100 shares, but she gets to hold them all herself.

The system ensures that Taib Mahmud has half of all the shares held in trust for himself, whereas none of the others hold more than 200 shares. In this way he clearly keeps a commanding control over the company he pretends not to own.

Taib in charge
Former employees of Sakti have testified to the controling position the Chief Minister holds over the other members of the family. Rahman, as he was known in the States, was still in college when he became sole Director of Sakti and has been described as being in awe of his father, whom he once had to wait a week to get a meeting with.

“We always considered Taib to be the ultimate boss and decision-maker” one former executive has told Sarawak Report, “It was obvious that he was the source of the money and Rahman was extremely deferential towards him”.

Where did the money come from?

Golden Wedding Couple - The Godfather and his family

The Chief Minister has so far made no comment on the string of recent exposes regarding his wealth. However, this new evidence will increase the widespread demands for him to explain how he and his family accrued the millions necessary to acquire such investments. Taib’s personal salary from his numerous concurrent positions still only delivers an official income of just under 50,000 MYR (around US $16,000) a month.

In past weeks the existence of Ridgeford Properties in London and Sakto Corporation in Ontario, Canada have also been made public. These companies own and manage numerous office blocks worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Ostensibly the Directors and owners of these concerns are Jamilah Taib and her husband Sean (Hisham) Murray, a Canadian national. However, like Sakti, Sakto was originally set up under the names of Taib family members, not Mr Murray.

Although numerous members of Sean Murray’s family now work for Sakto, all the evidence indicates that these are in fact Taib family businesses, ultimately controlled by the Chief Minister of Sarawak.

Surely the weight of evidence is now such that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will be unable to ignore the deluge of demands requiring thorough investigation into Sarawak’s White Haired Raja? – Sarawak Report

Say what you like, the rakyat have no other choice to present their grouses and demonstration seem to be the way to go and fully justified.

Demonstration To Welcome Shameless Thief, Abdul Taib Mahmud

If the people of Oxford had not heard of Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak, until today, they certainly know all about him now. His visit, tied to Sarawak’s heavy sponsorship of the Said Business School’s ‘Inaugural Global Islamic Branding and Marketing Forum’, was supposed to buy him credibility. In the event it ended up as a public relations disaster, as his reputation preceded him and was stuck up on banner headlines by protesters outside.

Even though it is the sleepy summer holiday period, a colourful crowd of demonstrators descended on the School to express their outrage that the University should have welcomed such a man and accepted such dubious sponsorship from the Timber Industry of Sarawak. The local press was soon on the scene, followed by Malaysian news teams, who had clearly been brought along to puff up the Chief Minister’s profile. Even the flunkies could not ignore a demo like this and they were soon filming, taking notes and conducting interviews.

Panic Reaction

A Malay team joins the UK Press in asking about the problems in Sarawak

Panic and concern was soon evident amongst the organisers, who called the police and sent an army of Special Branch officers to photograph the protesters, who were banned from entering the building by anxious bouncers. The School, clearly taking no risks, had hired a phalanx of extra personnel to protect their awkward guest and to block entry to the clearly highly-respectable gathering of locals and some Malaysians who had come to explain to Oxford exactly what they were dealing with. Many reminded the organisers that the criminals were the ones inside, while the people outside were lawfully making a very valid protest.

The forest of banners said it all. “Taib Mahmud Declare The Source Of Your Wealth”, “How Much Forest Is Left?”, “Respect Native Customary Rights”, ”Stop Sexual Harassment and Rape of Penan Women and Children”, “Save Sarawak”, “The EU banned illegal timber, Why won’t you sign the VPA?” and much more. Passers-by were handed leaflets and a string of civil society groups meanwhile coordinated across Britain to produce and sign a declaration of protest that is now being handed to Oxford University. One organisation, Forests Monitor, stated:

“For decades Taib has headed a regime which has ridden rough shod over the rights of indigenous and local peoples in Sarawak, treating the province like a personal fiefdom, worse even than his colonial predecessors. He has overseen the abuse of Sarawak’s own laws and profited enormously from it. By taking his money the Oxford Said School for Business is setting the worst possible example for its alumni. They too should be demanding answers from the Dean, who apparently considers himself an expert in corporate governance”.

Bundled in through the back entrance

Taib's Car Spotted Going Round the Back

The protest certainly denied Taib his grand entrance. He had been due to arrive in style, greeted by the University’s Vice Chancellor (the sponsorship must have been huge) to give the opening speech for the two-day conference, but he ended up being sneaked in past the protesters and ushered in through the back of the building. A break-away group who spotted his entry surrounded his car and waived their banners in disgust.

According to the protesters the police, who, unlike in Sarawak, do not see it as their duty to interfere with legitimate freedom of expression, remained a good natured and supportive presence throughout. One said:

“We needed that even-handed support, because the University bouncers were out of order. I was roughly manhandled out of the building after taking a photograph of the Chief Minister, which was stupid as scores of his own people were filming him too”.

The protester went on to say:

”I am concerned that the Said Business School, which used Oxford’s tradition of free speech as its excuse for taking Taib Mahmud’s money and receiving him in this way, should deny us our chance to come in and voice the truth about what is happening in Sarawak. Will the School be willing to receive some speakers from Malaysia’s repressed opposition in the near future? or can we expect the next move to be an Honorary Doctorate for Taib Mahmud?”

The image and the reality

Cheesy Tourist Image - Courtesy of The Chief Minister who destroyed Sarawak's native culture

Meanwhile, as the conference got underway, the disadvantages of the School’s modernist architecture were becoming plain to the embarrassed delegates. The great glass front to the main forum provided an unwelcome ‘Goldfish Bowl’ effect as the people outside were able to look in and photograph the awkward attempts to carry on as normal. Inside, a kitsch display area, of the type favoured by Taib, promoted a ‘tourist image’ of Sarawak with cuddly orang utan toys and a live Dayak music troupe in full ‘national costume’. They confirmed they had been transported with the Chief Minister’s enormous cavalcade from Sarawak.

Concern about the Tanjung Manis Project

The Thief, Abdul Taib Mahmud Spotted - before the photographer is manhandled out by bouncers

Alongside, was a mass of information about the Chief Minister’s new drive to turn Malaysia’s Christian State into the world’s biggest Halal Products Hub, with the help of massive investment, much of it from the Middle East.

Concern soon developed among the protesters as the information available indicates that the Hub is set to destroy 70,000 more hectares of valuable mangrove area and lowland peat forest – zones, described in Tanjung Manis literature as being uselessly unproductive in their current state. Information has leaked out that experts from Oxford University have been consulting Sarawak on this so-called ‘Green Development Project’. The questions and protests against Oxford’s ill-judged event will not end here and the Tanjung Manis Project may discover that instead of finding investors on its UK trip it has acquired unwelcome notoriety instead.

Taib’s Party Falls Flat

You Can Run But You Can't Hide - Taib spotted through the Goldfish Bowl windows as he is bundled into a side room. Flunkeys bring down the blinds.

As Taib left after his speech the demonstrators’ success in photographing him both from inside the conference hall and the outside, through the glass, created havoc amongst Taibs security men. Burlesque scenes ensued as they rushed round the building lowering blinds and pulling screens in front of the glass walls to protect their horrified boss from the glare of unwelcome publicity.

It was clearly a rare and unnerving experience for Taib Mahmud, a specialist in managed press and mass personal protection. As the laughter grew on the outside, his party on the inside was publicly ruined. That’s the problem with turning up in a free country Taib and we bet you think twice about doing it again any time soon.

It was an awkward exit (shit should be flung and thrown at them) for The Thief and hos entiurage!

Sarawak Report