Sarawak Governor Abdul Mahmud Taib and his family is accused of using money gained from corruption to bankroll the expansion of Ottawa-based Sakto Group’s property empire valued at US$250 million (RM1.05 billion), reported Bloomberg.
Over the past 30 years in his position, the leader allegedly channelled funds from “the massive deforestation of Sarawak and by illegally structuring state commercial activities to benefit him, his family and his related companies,” said the Bruno Manser Fund (BMF), a Swiss non-profit eco group.
In line with this, the organisation filed a case against Deloitte & Touche, Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank and Manulife Financial Corp, ordering these companies to provide information on where Sakto’s money is coming from.
“If the plaintiffs’ evidence is correct, there may be very significant criminal misconduct being committed here in aid of corrupt foreign official(s),” said Justice Frederick Myers, who instructed for the court documents to be made public.
Founded in 1983, Sakto was started by Taib’s daughter Jamilah Taib Murray, who runs the company with her husband Sean Murray. The firm owns several commercial buildings and residential towers in Ottawa, including premises in the Preston Square office complex and the 158-unit The Adelaide luxury condo in Little Italy.
BMF claims Sakto’s funding came from bribes and kickbacks to Taib and money earned from giving out timber and land deals to companies owned by the family. In fact, the group noted that the leader has been accused of graft by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“It is estimated that he is amongst the richest men in Southeast Asia, but neither he nor his family were independently wealthy prior to his taking office in 1981,” it said.
Meanwhile, Sakto denies the allegations and thinks the lawsuit is just fishing for evidence.
“This covert legal manoeuvre is another example of a media stunt by these activists funded by unknown foreign entities,” added the company.
Image sourced from Financial Post
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