KUALA LUMPUR – Toh Puan Raghad Kurdi Taib, the widow of the late Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, who was the longtime governor of Sarawak, has expressed dismay after being denied entry to her family home in Kuching.
In an Instagram post, Raghad detailed the events which unfolded during her recent visit to Sarawak.
Her return to Kuching, during which she intended to visit her late husband’s grave and make a charitable donation in his name, turned sour after she was met with an unwelcoming atmosphere.
“Last week, I flew to Kuching excited to come back home and to visit my beloved late husband. I planned to make sedeqah jariah (donations) in his name, and then visit his grave.
“After Majlis Tautan Kasih Tun Taib in Satok, I drove home, but to my surprise, I was not allowed entry to my own house!”
She said the guards at her residence, known as Demak Jaya, claimed that they were not authorised to let her in.
Despite this, one guard, “out of the goodness of his heart”, allowed her to enter. She later revealed that the staff member was fired for his actions.
“The guard paid a heavy price for allowing me in. He was fired from his job. May Allah bless him for having such a kind and empathetic heart.”
Upon entering the property, Raghad was disheartened to find the grave of her late husband in a state of neglect, saying that it looked like “nobody had visited it since the funeral”.
In response to these events, she lodged a police report and initiated legal proceedings, expressing her deep sorrow for having to take such measures.
“Please, I’m doing all this with a heavy heart… I shouldn’t have to prove anything to anyone. He was my husband… but I have to record this shameful act done against me and demand justice.”
Raghad has been involved in legal disputes with Taib’s family over his wealth even before his death.
Her stepsons, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib and Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, filed a suit to halt the transfer of shares from Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd to her, which she is fighting.
Additionally, Raghad was also under the spotlight for allegedly taking Taib out of the hospital against the doctor’s advice.
However, she lodged a police report over the claim, deeming the allegations “demonstrably false and deeply concerning.”
Taib died on February 21, this year, at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur due to a prolonged illness.
He served as the governor of Sarawak from 2014 until January this year. – July 12, 2024