Taib's son fails to make offer to divorced wife. No $?

written application by Abu Bekir's lawyers

Shahnaz's counsel Rafie Mohd Shafie confirmed, when contacted by Malaysiakini, that there has not been any offer so far.

"If there is nothing forthcoming we will go for trial and we are prepared for that. The other side thinks we do not know his assets, but we know," he said.

The trial has the potential of revealing the real wealth of the Taibs, widely considered as Sarawak's 'first family'.

Besides Rafie, lawyer Akbardin Abdul Kader, who is the solicitor for Shahnaz, also confirmed there was no settlement offer before them.

Mahmud Abu Bekir is represented by Saadiah Din and Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar. They had written to Shahnaz's lawyers asking for a two-week extension as the March 27 deadline had elapsed.

The second deadline ended on 11 days ago without any word - either verbally or written - from Mahmud Abu Bekir's lawyers.

Despite this, Akbardin indicated that their client is still hopeful there would be a proposal from Mahmud Abu Bekir.

Syariah High Court justice Mohamad Abdullah had postponed the hearing of case to May 23, pending outcome of the settlement offer.

Claims worth RM400 million
Shahnaz is claiming RM100 million in gift and another RM300 million in joint matrimonial assets to resolve the dispute.

She married Mahmud Abu Bekir on Jan 9, 1992, and the couple have an 18-year-old son.
Shahnaz (left) gave a teary testimony last month when she described how she had to undergo physical and mental abuse by Mahmud Abu Bekir.

She also described how her former husband would often leave home, and had brought another woman to her sister-in-law's wedding.

She also told the Syariah High Court that she had related the matter to her then father-in-law, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib, and her husband's younger brother, but no action was taken by them.

Shahnaz also told the court she did not lodge a police report or a medical report over the abuses so as not to affect her former husband's standing.

The couple were divorced on May 11 last year after Mahmud Abu Bekir pronounced the talak (declaration of divorce) following their separate applications for divorce.

Mahmud Abu Bekir also has another wife, a Russian divorcee.