This could be a reason why Taib defend his decades long business partner Samling-see report below from Sarawak Report. Before this Norway government had found Samling Global-linked to Samling Sarawak, to have violated various logging laws and therefore the Government had decided to divest from the logging company. Taib rose to defend his old business partner quickly(see next report below)-but the reason for doing this could be found in the report below.
August 26, 2010
Taib’s $1 Dollar Mansion?
By Sarawak Report ( more photo inside )
Sarawak Report would like to enquire of Abdul Taib Mahmud how much he paid for the mansion that Samling passed on to his family in Seattle, USA ?
The residence forms an enormous property, standing in its own grounds in one of the most prestigious area of Seattle on Boylston Avenue. It was passed from a Samling-owned company to a company now owned by Abdul Taib Mahmud and his family, for just one US dollar in 1991.
Click for King County Assessment Office details
Details of a very nice property
Described as a Top Grade Mansion in ‘very good’ condition by Washington State’s King County Department of Assessments, the property was valued at over US$ 6.8 million in 2008.
It has 6 bedrooms and 5 main bathrooms and an enormous total living space of 9,020 square feet, plus a basement of 2,120 square feet. The house is surrounded by a large open porch and there is a big basement garage for the car-loving Taib family, plus a second, attached garage. The mansion is surrounded by gracious gardens, kept in manicured condition and the grounds total 26,172 square feet.
Read more in: http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/9239/#more-9239
Taib sangkal dakwaan terhadap Samling
by Patricia Gari
August 25, 2010, Wednesday(Borneo Post)
Aktiviti pembalakan yang dijalan berdasarkan syarat termaktub, bukan secara haram
KUCHING: Ketua Menteri Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud menyangkal kenyataan mendakwa sebuah konsensi balak gergasi negeri, Samling Global menjalankan aktiviti pembalakan secara haram.
“Setahu saya Samling sebuah syarikat (pembalakan) yang bertanggungjawab di negeri ini…ya syarikat itu menjalankan aktivitinya berlandaskan syarat-syarat yang termaktub dalam lesen pembalakan mereka,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini semalam.
Taib berkata demikian apabila diminta mengulas kenyataan akhbar Inggeris kebangsaan kelmarin yang memetik Samling Global tidak tersenarai dalam Dana Pesara Kerajaan Norway kerana mendakwa syarikat itu telah menjalankan operasi hutan di Sarawak dan Guyana yang menyumbang kepada pembalakan haram serta menyebabkan kemusnahan alam sekitar yang serius.
Taib turut mempersoal-kan cara dana itu membuat penilaian tersebut.
“Jika mereka cuba meng-ambil tindakan seumpama itu terpulang kepada Samling untuk menangani-nya.
“Apabila ada pihak yang membuat keputusan dan menyelar atau mengkritik tindakan anda, anda perlu membuktikan anda tidak bersalah,” katanya.
Beliau menambah ada dua peringkat pengadilan pertama berdasarkan bukti dan kedua berdasarkan ramalan atau kempen.
“Peringkat kedua ini, adalah suatu yang saya tidak boleh jelaskan,” ujarnya.
Terdahulu Taib bagi pihak Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak menerima zakat daripada Amanah Raya Berhad (ARB) yang diwakili Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan ARB, Dato’ Ahmad Rodzi Pawanteh di pejabatnya di Menara Pelita, dekat sini semalam.
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