THE Kuala Lumpur Shariah Court of Appeal has dismissed Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib’s appeal against a RM30 million shariah divorce settlement for his former wife, Shahnaz Abdul Majid.

Mahmud, the son of Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud, had lodged an appeal against a decision by the Shariah High Court in 2016 that awarded Shahnaz RM30 million as mutaah payment to be paid in three instalments.

Shahnaz, sister to singer Sheila Majid, had initially demanded RM100 million in mutaah.

Judge Saarani Ismail, leading a two-man bench that included judge Mohd Naim Mokhtar, ruled that the settlement be paid in three instalments of RM10 million  each by October 31, January 31, 2019 and April 30, 2019. 

“Alhamdulillahi rabbil ‘alamin. I am thankful they came to a decision,” Shahnaz told reporters outside the court. 

“I want to thank the court. I want to thank my (lawyers) and family,” she said.  

Her claim on the matrimonial property will be heard in the Shariah High Court on October 29, said her lawyer Mohd Rafie Shafie.

Shanaz was also represented by Akberdin Abdul Kader. 

Saadiah Din and Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar acted as counsel for Bekir. 

Shahnaz and Mahmud were married in 1992 and divorced on May 11, 2011. They have a 24-year-old son, Raden.

Shahnaz, who holds an MBA in finance, had sought some RM400 million in a divorce settlement, including matrimonial property and Islamic conciliatory payment or mutaah.

She sought half the assets owned by Bekir, including thousands of hectares of Sarawakian land, shares in 15 companies, several houses abroad and seven luxury cars.

During a hearing in 2014, Bekir had told the Kuala Lumpur Shariah Court that he discovered his ex-wife was not a virgin on their wedding night on January 9, 1992. 

Shahnaz had refused to state if she was a virgin when she married Bekir.

Bekir serves as deputy group chairman of Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd. – October 16, 2018.