Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud lost his cool in the state legislative assembly today when an opposition leader questioned his family's wealth and business interests since he came into power in 1981.

Taib had quoted the Confucius saying - "if a leader is rich and the people are not paupers, then he is a good leader. But if a leader is rich and the people are poor, then he is not a good leader".

This led DAP state assemblyperson for Kota Sentosa Chong Chieng Jen to say that he was "confused" by the chief minister's remark.

The opposition leader said it is well known that Taib's family is affluent but Sarawak remains poor despite the state earning more than 50 percent of its revenue from oil and gas as well as other natural resources such as timber.

It has been estimated that Taib's family is worth at least RM2 billion, though this is not officially confirmed.

Chong added even the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) report revealed that Sarawak's poverty line is below the national average and the monthly income of individuals is also below the national average.

"Given the fact that Sarawak is one of the richest states in Malaysia with its natural resources, that shouldn't be the case.

"It clearly shows that the state government is not managing the state well," he said, adding that without its natural resources the state would be bankrupt.

"Yet our leaders are doing well and are very rich," he noted.

Getting personal

On hearing this, Taib blew his top and began to raise his voice, which he seldom does. He told Chong that if the DAP leader is going to get personal, he too will get personal.

The veteran politician also dared Chong to repeat his allegation outside the state assembly.

Earlier, Chong also referred to an article in an Australian newspaper about Taib's family wealth, saying such reports are not helpful in promoting foreign investments.

The DAP leader said he has no intention to tarnish the chief minister's image but is merely raising the issue in the state assembly because the public impression is that since Taib took office, his family have made a fortune.

Numerous Barisan Nasaional (BN) representatives stood up in defence and attacked the opposition leader.

The opposition has been trying in vain to raise the issue of Taib's family wealth, especially his wife Laila's huge stake in the public-listed conglomerate Chaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) Bhd and many of its subsidiaries.

So far the state government has avoided answering the questions submitted in the state assembly.