Sex-deprived marriage, domestic violence: Shahnaz (Sheila Majid's sister) assaulted in car, home, even long bath by Abu Bekir

Why Shahnaz stayed with Taib’s son through years of violent abuse

BY RITA JONG

September 02, 2013

Latest Update: September 02, 2013 01:20 pm

Shahnaz A. Majid wept in court today as she recounted the physical, emotional and mental trauma she suffered during her marriage to Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir Abdul Taib, the son of the Sarawak chief minister.

In between sobs, Shahnaz related how she was beaten, punched, kicked and assaulted from 1994 to 1998 and the reasons why she stayed with her husband despite being abused.

"Usually, there was no specific reason for his violent behaviour. We would be talking, I would disagree with him and he would just beat me up," she said when questioned by her counsel, Akbardin Abdul Kader, at the Syariah High Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

"He would hit me on the head, shoulder and even kick me in the stomach."

And despite all this, Shahnaz admitted she did not lodge any police report nor seek medical treatment.

"How could I? His family is very influential in Sarawak. His father is the chief minister (Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud) of the state. I can't embarrass him. I must guard my ex-husband's good name.

"I did on one occasion tell his sister but nothing changed. So what else could I do? Just take it all, pray and be patient."

Shahnaz, who is jazz singer Datuk Sheila Majid's sister, was testifying in the trial of her application to get RM300 million in matrimonial properties and RM100 million in gifts (mutaah) as a divorce settlement.

Shahnaz, 50, is also claiming 50% of all assets owned by Mahmud Abu Bekir. These include luxury cars, houses in various locations, land in Sarawak and shares.

The divorce settlement proceedings are shining a light on the purported wealth of the Sarawak chief minister's family.

In court papers filed during her divorce application, Shahnaz had sought to have Mahmud Abu Bekir's assets - among which she listed seven luxury cars, thousands of hectares of land in Sarawak and shares in 15 companies - declared as joint property and for it to be halved.

Shahnaz and Mahmud Abu Bekir were married on January 9, 1992, and they have a son, Raden Myura Abdul Taib Mahmud, 20.

They were married for 19 years and four months before Mahmud Abu Bekir filed for divorce on May 11, 2011.

She said she was assaulted at her home, in the car and even in a long bath in her bathroom, she told the court today. - September 2, 2013.