Mohamad Arip, said to be Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's favourite brother among 10 siblings, passed away at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore early yesterday morning after a long battle against lung cancer. He was 48.

His body was brought back to Kuching in a specially chartered aircraft from Singapore and accompanied by Azerina Arip, the eldest of his three wives, and family members. He was later laid to rest at the Demak Jaya cemetery near the chief minister's private residence in Jalan Bako.

Arip is also survived by his other wives, Norieda Goh Abdullah and Liyana Teo Abdullah, and 12 children.

For months before his death, rumours were circulating that his condition was deteriorating and in his final days, was on life support.

Arip was decribed by his brother-in-law, Sarawak State Secretary Aziz Hussain, as a very generous man and like most of his other siblings, stayed away from the limelight.

Wealthy siblings

The brothers and sisters come from a family described as among the richest in the country and are involved in many types of businesses - construction, timber and plantation - among others.

Ibrahim, a retired police officer and one of the elder brothers, now sits on the board of listed Kim Hin Industry. His younger brothers Mohd Tufail, like Arif and another brother Ali Mahmud, are involved in timber and plantation. Ali Mahmud was recently listed as an Approved Permits (AP) holder under Ali Mahmud Motor, based in Kuching.

One of the sisters Aisah Zainab, once married to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Adenan Satem and now Umno politician Ruhanie Ahmad's wife, is also a businesswoman.

Another sister Raziah, married to Australian engineer Robert Geneid, is an aggressive and successful businesswoman. She and her husband are into construction and undertake many infrastructure projects.

Local newspapers ran many pages of condolence messages today from business associates on Arip's death.