Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud’s son Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib admitted today that he has not lived together with his former wife Shahnaz A Majid for 12 years and four months.

However, Bekir testified in the Syariah High Court in Kuala Lumpur, that he tried to divorce her three times, but did not do so.

Asked by Shahnaz’s lawyer Rafie Shafie whether the power to divorce lies with the men in Islam, Bekir agreed.

However, he denied the claim by Rafie ( photo ) that he continued to remain married and declined to divorce Shahnaz because he wanted to maintain his family’s ‎honour.

Bekir also had a spat with Rafie, asking the lawyer to pronounce his name properly when the lawyer said Bekir is pronounced as ‘Bakar’ and that Bekir is the Polish spelling for Bakar.

Shahnaz had testified earlier in the trial that during that period they had not had sexual intercourse and this resulted in her marital status to be in doubt as she was still married to Bekir and he did not want to divorce her.

The couple were married in 1992, and in 1999 they had been living apart. They were divorced in May 2011.

PR company paid RM890,400

Bekir also said he had hired public relations company GRA Communications Sdn Bhd to counter allegations against him and his family and has to pay the company RM890,400 for two years, beginning June 1, 2014.

He said the fee agreed upon was RM35,000 a month where the Sarawak governor's son also agreed to pay the tax at six percent.

“The payment is paid every quarter,” he said.

The team of four PR firms were present throughout the trial since they were hired and have been giving statements to the press on the case either when the case is ongoing or outside trial.

Bekir also denied that he was prolonging his former wife's claim for support with his own claims of political conspiracy.

The witness had claimed his former wife's claim is part of an alleged global political conspiracy against his father and their family following claims that he is the richest person in the world.

When asked by Rafie who had prepared the press statement, Bekir said it was drafted by him and the PR firm only corrected the grammar and language.

During his examination in chief by his lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, Bekir continued to refer to the press statement prepared to answer questions.

Normally witnesses are not allowed to refer to notes without the court's permission.

However, when this was pointed out by Rafie and lawyer Akbardin Abdul Kader for Shahnaz, the Syariah High Court judge allowed Bekir to continue to read from the prepared statement.

A copy of the press statement was then also given to the press.

This present trial is for Shahnaz's mutaah (gift following divorce) claim of RM100 million.

She is also seeking RM300 million in joint matrimonial assets and RM121 million in child maintenance to their only child, a 21-year-old son who had lived with the mother and is now studying in the United Kingdom.