Taib Mahmud sues Malaysiakini

Looks like Taib Mahmud, the long serving Sarawak Chief Minister has decided to "clear" his name. And the first target of his suit? Malaysiakini.

Taib to sue Malaysiakini
Apr 20, 07 1:56pm

Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has demanded malaysiakini to remove several articles concerning accusations of corruption allegedly linked to him and his family.

Taib, who has been the Sarawak leader for 26 years, said he would take legal action should malaysiakini refuses to do so in 48 hours.

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The suit is with regards to the allegations of timber shipping kickbacks to a HK company believed to be owned by Taib's family. All this juicy news started with a Japan Times report on March 29, 2007 where a Japanese shipping company was uncovered by the Japanese tax authorities to have been paying multi-million dollar bribes to the said HK company. The Japanese shipping company has tried to defend the payments as valid "consultation and services fee". Taib has earlier threatened to sue Japan Times as well (reminds me of NST's threat of suing BBC, which has not happened since), so let's see if he will be "man" enough to do it instead of going after our local boys only. Anyway, Steven Gan, Malaysiakini's Editor-In-Chief, stated that they will fight the suit in court. He is relishing the opportunity to call various witnesses for the proceeding.

As usual, our sleeping PM is unaware of such reports, despite the fact that the Parliamentary Opposition Leader YB Lim Kit Siang has sent him letters about this issue, as well as raised it in Parliament. Well, reports have been made by various groups regarding this and the ACA really have no excuses not to start an investigation. However, knowing how toothless and pathetic the ACA is (itself having to face a scandal by having a questionable ex-chief) nothing will come out of it.

It is an open secret how the Sarawak CM and his family has benefited greatly from his 26 years rule of the largest state in Malaysia. But seeing how geographically challenging it is for Sarawak folks to get information on the various problems facing the state (except when the tribes come face-to-face with loggers encroaching into their Native Customary Land), it will be a while more before the Sarawak BN loses more seats. I just hope by the time Sarawak folks have woken up, it won't be waking up to find the state totally bankrupted and with the great forests all cleared.