Who is King of Sarawak’s Rainforest? An insight to Sarawak’s land corruption led by its Chief Minister and his family

Abstract

Malaysia’s 13^th General Elections were hopes of many to be the turning point of change, breaking Barisan Nasional’s (BN or National Front) 56 years of governance. BN in recent years had been plagued with allegations of corruption and cronyism. Land grabs in the state of Sarawak, exposed an intricate and systematic corruption that happens in all levels of government in Malaysia. The perils of the rainforest in Sarawak are uncovered through a corrupt systematic mass deforestation through the governance of its Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. Was Malaysia’s latest election successful in dethroning Taib and his family out of their political powers? Taib holding several portfolios puts him in immense political and economic power. For more than 30 years, Taib has made use of his various ministerial roles to methodically harvest the state’s natural resources and amassing a personal fortune of USD $15 billion. The first family of Sarawak too has their share in Taib’s fortunes. Kickbacks, corrupt land deals, evasion of Malaysian tax and the service economy of corruption were true and evident in the family’s dealings. Taib’s eldest daughter, Jamilah Taib and her husband Sean Murray, well known socialites in Ottawa, Canada play a major role in the slow death of Sarawak’s rainforest and indigenous tribes. One woman, Clare Rewcastle Brown who manages Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak is determined to bring down the supreme rule of Taib and his family. Her media outlets aim “… to provide that platform and to offer an alternative vision of justice, transparency and a fairer future in Sarawak.”