INCREASING pressure to investigate allegations of corruption against Sarawak Governor Abdul Taib Mahmud will be one of the big tests for the new Pakatan Harapan government, said Clare Rewcastle-Brown, editor of whistle-blower site Sarawak Report.

“I think from what we can see, this new federal government is holding Taib Mahmud at arm’s length at the moment, and I think it should just allow the due process of the law to proceed in this matter.

“I’m sure there will be complaints about corruption in Sarawak that ought to be listened to,” she said in an interview on BFM radio today.

Rewcastle-Brown was asked to give her opinions on whether Taib, Sarawak’s former chief minister for 33 years before he stepped down in 2014, would ever be brought to book for allegations of massive corruption in the country’s largest state, seeing as he is believed to enjoy a strong relationship with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“I think this is going to be one of the big tests of the new government because clearly the Sarawak state government has not changed, it’s still the same people who were very closely allied to the previous Barisan Nasional establishment,” she said.

“I think no one has been unaware of the huge upsurge of Sarawak voices, saying, ‘What about us? Is this revolution going to reach our shore and change our concerns?’, and of course that’s something I care a great deal about.”

Rewcastle-Brown added that she believed there would be more reports and complaints brought forward against Taib.

“There already been substantial MACC investigation into corruption both in Sarawak and Sabah which the previous administration sought to basically leave on a dusty shelf. Now, maybe they will be taking down those reports and dusting them off a bit.”

Civil society groups have urged the new government to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against Taib.

National Human Rights Society (Hakam) chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan urged Dr Mahathir and PH to act on Taib’s alleged wrongdoings, while Movement of Change Sarawak (MoCS) leader Francis Siah called on Dr Mahathir to investigate “the biggest thief” in Malaysia who resides in Sarawak. – May 21, 2018.