There has been a total black-out of news in Sarawak newspapers o­n an alleged voluntary causing hurt case involving the high-profile corporate businessman son of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and a former TV personality in Kuala Lumpur.

A national tabloid, the Malay Mail , first broke the story o­n Sunday with a front-page story of the police report lodged by a former TV personality 22-year-old Avaa Vanja Ramli alleging assault by the chief minister's son initially identified as a Dato' Sri (honorific title) who is a director of several listed companies, including a bank.

On Tuesday, the tabloid reported that the Dato' Sri has been identified as Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib, 36, although Kuala Lumpur police refused to reveal his identity. The story was also carried by several national dailies.

On Wednesday, the New Straits Times in a front page report identified the businessman as Sulaiman. Photos of him and Avaa were also published.

Control and influence

Inspite of all that, none of the newspapers in Sarawak - Chinese, English or Malay - carried anything o­n it.

This would seem to indicate the powerful control and influence of the Taib family to ensure the exclusion

of news reports in the local media that are seen as unfavourable to them.

Many people obtained the news through fax, SMS and postings o­n popular internet sites known as Sarawak Talk and Randau Ruai which are sometimes known more for their gossips and rumours than factual news.

Sulaiman is married to Anisa Chan, a daughter of Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister George Chan Hong Nam. They have four children.

He was conferred the Dato' Sri award by Sarawak's Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) last September.

Sulaiman heads the Taib family-owned and controlled Cahaya Mata Sarawak Berhad and Bank Utama Group which has merged with RHB Bank to form o­ne of the country's 10 anchor banks. He is executive chairman of CMSB and Rashid Hussain Bhd.

Anxious to clear name

He is also said to be groomed by his father as a future politician, possibly to hold a key post in Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) which Taib heads, and possibly as a future elected state representative or member of parliament.

Although he is younger than another brother, Sulaiman has been chosen to head the family-owned conglomerate which has simply come to be known as CMS in Sarawak.

Sources say the family is anxious to clear his name over the alleged voluntary causing hurt case as it could affect his position as a director of a bank or even as a director of a listed company.

Meanwhile, the New Straits Times reported today that investigations into the alleged assault o­n Avaa are expected to be completed soon.

The investigation papers would then be forwarded to the Attorney-General's chambers for further perusal, the paper said.

Avaa lodged a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur o­n Friday alleging that she was assaulted by an individual known to her following an argument outside a bistro in the city.