The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said yesterday allegations against Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud that he illegally amassed large sums of money have been over-politicised and the commission should be allowed to continue its probe without interference.

NONE Confirming that the investigation was still going on, MACC head Abu Kassim Mohamed (right) said the issue had been "blown out of proportion".

"I cannot comment on the progress as we are still gathering information on how the wealth was obtained," Abu Kassim said.

He also declined to state how long the investigation would take.

The probe into alleged corruption over timber concessions began in June last year, following a move by the Swiss anti-corruption agency to freeze Taib's assets.

According to a foreign news report, former Swiss president Micheline Calmy-Rey, who had been aware of the allegations, had forwarded the information about Taib's assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body Finma (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation.

On Thursday, the Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund alleging that the 76-year-old chief minister had been investigated since 1981.

azlan The report said the 20 members of Taib's family were collectively worth about US$21 billion (RM64 billion) It alleged that the wealth of Taib alone had been put at US$15 billion (RM46 billion), making him Malaysia's richest man, outstripping tycoon Robert Kuok, who has US$12.5 billion.

The report was released in Brussels, Belgium, in conjunction with a visit by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister

Bernard Dompok to the European Commission.

The Bruno Manser Fund claimed the wealth had been amassed during Taib's tenure as chief minister, state finance minister, and planning and resources minister.

It said the family's wealth was spread over 400 companies around the world. The fund said the figure of US$21 billion had been obtained by reviewing financial and corporate records in Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries.

It said the family's flagship company, Cahya Mata Sarawak, the largest private company in Sarawak, had net assets totalling RM2.4 billion in 2010.

It was awarded some of the state's largest contracts, including the RM300 million construction of the state legislative assembly building in Kuching, a contract for the maintenance of 4,000km of state roads, a 15-year concession to maintain 64km of federal roads, and sale of cement and a number of other construction materials.

The fund also said it was believed Kenanga Investment Bank and RHB Investment Bank were partly-owned by or linked to the family.

- The Malay Mail

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