'Arrest Sarawak CM and family members for grand theft'

Dec 14: Parti Keadilan Rakyat has called for the arrest of Sarawak's long-serving chief minister Taib Mahmud (right) and his family members for alleged abuse of public office as well as wide scale theft and corruption. Referring to a letter by several NGOs on the matter, PKR vice president N Surendran said the time had come for the authorities to finally sprint into action and charge Taib and his billionaire family members for plunder of state resources. "For years, concerned individuals, organizations and the political opposition have called upon the BN government to stop Taib's plunder of Sarawak's wealth and natural resources. But successive BN government's have taken no action whatsoever against Taib and his criminal empire. The facts revealed in this letter are simply staggering," said Surendran in a statement to Harakahdaily. Earlier, 17 international non-government organisations including Greenpeace, in a letter copied to all foreign diplomats in Kuala Lumpur, urged the police, Attorney-General and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to take action against Taib or risk Malaysia's credibility. Surendran pointed out that Taib's family stake in 14 companies totalled over RM4.6 billion, with interests in 332 Malaysian and 85 foreign companies. "Sarawak's wealth and assets worth hundreds of millions are being smuggled out of the country in lavish property holdings held by Taib's children in Canada, England and the US," Surendran said, referring to documented reports on Taib's wealth that have been released rights group, and most notably whistleblower website Sarawak Report. Royal Commission of Inquiry MEET THE 'RAJAH' ... Taib, seen here with his Lebanese wife Ragad Waleed Alkurdi. According to Surendran, Taib was ruling Sarawak "like his personal fiefdom", adding that the 75-year old had remained "untouchable and under the protection and shield of the Barisan Nasional government." Saying Taib's case paled in comparison to the much talked RM250 million scandal involving the National Feedlot Corporation managed by the family of Wanita UMNO head Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Surendran called on the  government to immediately form a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Taib's business empire. He also demanded Taib's resignation, and for his family members to relinquish posts in state-owned enterprises. In addition, a task-force must be formed to recover illegally obtained assets and property in  Malaysia, and the government must cooperate with international law enforcement agencies to bring Taib to justice, added Surendran.