Taib Mahmud Explains Himself But Why Is It Unbelievable

Written by  Maclean Patrick

Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud could only manage a statement that leaves more questions than answers. At the first day for the new Sarawak Assembly, he states, “I have no assets in Switzerland”.

If Taib has no such assets in Switzerland, then whose assets did the Swiss authorities freeze?

Denying the allegations against him, Taib went further to suggest that there is a political motive behind all the attacks by the Bruno Manser Fund though he stops at providing more information into what the motive might be and how the Bruno Manser Fund would actually benefit from demonizing him.

He further illiterate that all the accusations by BMF are false and are merely meant to smear the state government, the state and its leaders. This is clearly a statement engineered to draw attention away from him and to turn the whole affair into a case of the state of Sarawak against the Bruno Manser Fund.

Even The Germans Say It Is Taib Mahmud's

Hot on the heels of the Swiss authority move to investigate Taib’s wealth in Swiss accounts, anti-money laundering campaigners are now demanding action from Germany to freeze Taib’s assets held by the country’s largest bank Deustche Bank.

A body of evidence is now building up, showing extensive dealings between allegedly Taib-owned businesses with Deustche Bank amounting to millions of ringgits and involving various off-shore operations.

Reports released by Sarawak Report suggest a new dimension to an already heated investigation into Taib’s wealth and family businesses namely via an off-shore company called SOGO Holdings Limited based in the island of Jersey.

The alleged Taib-company SOGO Holdings Limited is managed by Deutsche Bank International in Jersey

Taib, has so far, failed to explain how he and his family has been able to accumulate the wealth they now solely enjoy. Pressure to explain, also comes from the MACC, which has officially launched its own investigation into his allege wealth.

MACC Limp And Late

The MACC is late in launching investigations and only jumped into the fray when news that the Swiss authorities were conducting their own investigations into Taib and money laundering. With Germany also joining the growing chorus to investigate the international web of Taib’s businesses, the MACC is hard pressed to prove its mantle in bringing in the longest ruling Chief Minister in Malaysia.

MACC should step away from the statements to be made by Taib and look at the current body of evidence.

MACC should take note of the visible listings of Taib’s immediate family members in the board of directors in companies such as Cahya Mata Sarawak. It should also probe into his capacity as Chief Minister and Minister for Planning and Resource Management, how he initiates NCR land grabs and awards the logging rights to companies affiliated to his own family members.

MACC should see all these indicators as meaning that there is really something the Chief Minister is trying hard to hide. There is no fire without the smoke. And all this while organizations across the globe have been pointing to the smoke rising from the logged out forest areas in Sarawak.

It is indeed a sad affair when outside observers are the ones who notice the rot in the wood while the local authorities charged with looking into the rot turn a blind eye to all that happens.

And will the MACC take hook, line and sinker the denial by Taib himself and completely dismiss the evidence? MACC’s next move will be one of great interest.

- Malaysia Chronicle

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