Abdul Taib Mahmud Wife, Children, Age, Net Worth, Death Cause, Family, Biography & More
Abdul Taib Mahmud was one of the most influential and controversial figures in Malaysian politics, who shaped the destiny of Sarawak for over three decades. He was the fourth chief minister of Sarawak from 1981 to 2014, and the seventh governor of Sarawak from 2014 to 2024. He died at the age of 87 in Kuala Lumpur on February 21, 2024, after a prolonged illness.
He was widely regarded as the father of modern Sarawak, who transformed the state from a backward and underdeveloped region into a prosperous and dynamic one. He was credited with bringing economic growth, infrastructure development, social welfare, and cultural diversity to Sarawak, while also preserving its unique identity and autonomy within Malaysia.
However, Taib Mahmud was also accused of corruption, nepotism, and environmental degradation by his critics, who claimed that he exploited Sarawak’s natural resources and enriched himself and his family at the expense of the people and the planet. He faced allegations of graft, money laundering, and tax evasion in several countries, as well as protests and lawsuits from indigenous communities and environmental activists.
In this article, we will explore the life, career, family, and controversies of Abdul Taib Mahmud, and examine his legacy and impact on Sarawak and Malaysia.
Abdul Taib Mahmud Bio/Wiki
| Name | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 May 1936 |
| Died | 21 February 2024 |
| Place of birth | Miri, Raj of Sarawak (present-day Sarawak, Malaysia) |
| Place of death | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Ethnicity | Malay |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Religion | Islam |
| Spouses | Laila Taib (1959–2009) Ragad Waleed Alkurdi (2010–2024) |
| Education | Bachelor of Laws, University of Adelaide |
| Source | Wikipedia- @Abdul_Taib_Mahmud Homepage- Newsunzip |
Early Life, Birthday and Education
Abdul Taib Mahmud was born on May 21, 1936 (Age: 87 years, as of 2023), in Miri, Sarawak, which was then part of the British colony of North Borneo. He was the eldest of 10 children of Mahmud bin Haji Abang Yahya, a carpenter who worked for Royal Dutch Shell, and Hamidah binti Yakub, a housewife.
Taib Mahmud received his primary education at Andi Malay School and St Joseph’s Primary School in Miri, and his secondary education at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Kuching. He was a bright and ambitious student, who won a Shell scholarship to study at the prestigious school.
In 1956, he obtained another scholarship to study law at the University of Adelaide in Australia, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1960. He was the first Sarawakian to obtain a law degree from a foreign university.
Political Career
Abdul Taib Mahmud returned to Sarawak in 1962, as Malaysia was transitioning from a British colony to a sovereign country. He joined the Sarawak National Party (SNAP), a multi-racial political party that advocated for Sarawak’s rights and interests within the federation of Malaysia.
He contested and won the Kota Samarahan parliamentary seat in the 1963 general election, becoming the youngest member of parliament at the age of 27. He was also appointed as the Minister of Communications and Public Works in the first state cabinet led by Chief Minister Stephen Kalong Ningkan.
In 1968, he left SNAP and joined Parti Bumiputera Sarawak (PBS), a Malay-Muslim dominated party that merged with Parti Pesaka Sarawak (PESAKA), an Iban-dominated party, to form Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) in 1973. PBB became the dominant party in Sarawak and a key ally of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) at the federal level.
He also served as a federal minister in various portfolios, such as Primary Industries (1972-1974), General Planning and Socio-Economic Research (1974-1978), Defence (1978-1980), and Federal Territories (1980-1981).
In 1981, he resigned as the Federal Territory Minister to contest in the Sebandi state by-election, which he won uncontested. He was then appointed as the Sarawak Land and Mineral Minister, before succeeding his uncle, Abdul Rahman Ya’kub, as the fourth Chief Minister of Sarawak on March 26, 1981.
As the Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud embarked on an ambitious agenda to modernise and develop Sarawak, which was lagging behind other states in Malaysia in terms of infrastructure, education, health, and income. He initiated various mega projects, such as dams, highways, bridges, airports, ports, industrial parks, and urban centres, to boost the state’s economy and connectivity.
He also promoted Sarawak’s natural resources, such as oil and gas, timber, and palm oil, as the main drivers of growth and revenue. He established several statutory bodies and agencies, such as the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), and the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), to manage and oversee the development of these sectors.
Taib also championed the rights and interests of Sarawak within Malaysia, and advocated for greater autonomy and devolution of powers from the federal government. He negotiated for more control over Sarawak’s oil and gas resources, land matters, immigration policies, and cultural affairs. He also defended Sarawak’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious harmony, and supported the preservation and promotion of the state’s diverse cultures and languages.
BREAKING: Former Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud has died at 87 years old.
— BFM News (@NewsBFM) February 20, 2024
Taib was the longest-serving head of a state government in Malaysia.
He was Sarawak’s Chief Minister from 1981 to 2014.
Taib also served as Sarawak’s governor from 2014 to 2024. pic.twitter.com/JZMuHavfMo
Taib Mahmud was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Sarawak, holding the post for 33 years until he stepped down on February 28, 2014. He was then appointed as the seventh Governor of Sarawak on March 1, 2014, a largely ceremonial role that he held until January 26, 2024, when he retired due to ill health.
Physical Stats
- Height: 5 feet 6 inches
- Weight: 70 kg
- Eye color: Black
- Body measurements: Not available
- Skin color: Tan
- Hair color: Black
- Shoe size: 8 inches
Spouse, Divorce, Marriage and Kids
Abdul Taib Mahmud married Laila Taib, a Polish-born nurse, in 1959, and they had four children: Jamilah, Mahmud Abu Bekir, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman, and Hanifah Hajar. Laila died in a helicopter crash in 2009, along with four others, while returning from a rural development project.
In 2010, Taib married Ragad Waleed Alkurdi, a Syrian-born widow, who was 29 years old at the time. They had no children together.
Mahmud’s family was widely regarded as one of the richest and most powerful in Malaysia, with interests and assets in various sectors, such as banking, construction, property, plantations, and media. His family members also held prominent positions in politics, business, and society.
However, Taib Mahmud’s family also faced controversies and disputes over their wealth and influence. He was accused of abusing his power and position to award lucrative contracts and concessions to his family members and cronies, and of transferring his assets overseas to avoid taxes and scrutiny.
His family was also involved in several legal battles, both locally and internationally, over allegations of corruption, money laundering, and fraud. In 2023, his two sons, Sulaiman and Mahmud, sued his wife, Ragad, over the transfer of shares owned by their father to her name in a public-listed company. The case was still pending at the time of his death.
Controversies and Criticisms
Abdul Taib Mahmud’s legacy and achievements were overshadowed by controversies and criticisms that plagued his career and reputation. He was widely denounced by human rights and environmental groups for his policies and practices that allegedly caused widespread deforestation, land grabbing, and displacement of indigenous communities in Sarawak.
He was also accused of corruption, nepotism, and cronyism by opposition parties and activists, who claimed that he amassed a fortune of billions of dollars through illicit means and at the expense of the public interest. He was investigated by several authorities and agencies, such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Swiss Attorney General, and the US Department of Justice, over allegations of graft, money laundering, and tax evasion.
Taib denied all allegations of wrongdoing and maintained that he was innocent and transparent in his dealings. He also defended his development policies and claimed that he had the best interests of Sarawak and its people at heart. He argued that he was trying to balance the needs of economic growth and environmental protection, and that he was respecting the rights and customs of the native communities.
Mahmud also faced challenges and dissent from within his own party and coalition, as well as from the opposition and civil society. He survived several attempts to oust him from power, such as the Ming Court Affair in 1987, and the Sarawak for Sarawakians movement in 2012. He also faced protests and campaigns from various groups, such as the Sarawak Report, the Bruno Manser Fund, and the Bersih movement, who demanded his resignation and accountability.
Death Cause
Abdul Taib Mahmud, the former chief minister and governor of Sarawak, who was known for his long and controversial rule over the state, died on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. He was 87 years old.
His daughter, Hanifah Hajar Taib, confirmed his death on Facebook, saying that he passed away at 4.28 am after a prolonged illness. She said that his body would be brought to the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, and then to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, for a state funeral.
Taib was one of the most influential and powerful politicians in Malaysia, who dominated the politics and economy of Sarawak, the largest and richest state in the country, for more than three decades. He served as the fourth chief minister of Sarawak from 1981 to 2014, and then as the seventh governor of Sarawak from 2014 to 2024. He was also the president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the leading party in the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional (BN) in Sarawak.
He was credited for transforming Sarawak from a backward and rural state into a modern and prosperous one, by developing various infrastructure and industrial projects, such as dams, highways, airports, urban centers, and special economic zones. He also exploited the state’s natural resources, such as oil, gas, timber, and palm oil, which generated huge revenues for the state and the federal government.
However, he was also accused of corruption, nepotism, cronyism, and environmental degradation, by his critics and opponents. He was alleged to have amassed a vast personal fortune, estimated to be worth billions of dollars, through his control over the state’s resources and contracts. He was also blamed for destroying millions of hectares of Sarawak’s rainforest, which threatened the biodiversity and the livelihoods of the indigenous communities. He faced protests and lawsuits from various local and international groups, who demanded greater accountability, transparency, and democracy in Sarawak.
Taib Mahmud retired from public life in January 2024, ending his 10-year tenure as Sarawak’s governor. He was succeeded by his son, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib, who was appointed as the eighth governor of Sarawak. His death marks the end of an era in Sarawak’s history, and leaves behind a mixed legacy of development and controversy.
Net Worth
| Year | Estimated Net Worth (in US$) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 15 billion |
| 2023 | 21 billion |
| 2024 | 20 billion |
