Shahnaz to donate a third of RM30mil award to charity

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud’s former daughter-in-law says she will donate one-third of the RM30mil awarded to her in her mutaah (consolatory gift after a divorce) claim to charity.

When met outside the Syariah High Court on Thursday, Shahnaz A. Majid (pic) said she was happy with the court’s verdict.

She thanked her Syarie lawyers Dr Rafie Mohd Shafie and Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader and her family for their support throughout the trial.

“This case highlights the plight of muslimah in society. The court case is not about taking money from the defendant but it is my rightful claim,” she said, adding that, she wished to donate one-third of the award to orphanages and single mothers associations.

The verdict was delivered by Syarie judge Muhamad Abdul Karim Wahab in the presence of Shahnaz and her former husband Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, both 53.

Shahnaz had orginally filed a RM100mil mutaah claim.

She had also filed an application to get RM300mil in matrimonial property as divorce settlement and 50% of all assets owned by her and Mahmud. These included luxury cars, houses in various locations, land in Sarawak and shares in several companies.

Judge Muhamad Abdul Karim said that although the RM100mil mutaah claim was unreasonable, he had taken the approach that Mahmud’s expenses were nearly RM1mil a month and that he had more than RM1bil in assets.

“Based on this approach, I grant the plaintiff a RM30mil in mutaah claim. The court views that the amount is reasonable and the defendant is able to pay the amount.

“The amount to be paid in three instalments. The first RM10mil to be paid by March 31, another RM10mil by June 30 and the last amount by Sept 30.

“The amount is enough to eliminate sadness to a former wife,” he said.

The couple married on Jan 9, 1992, and their divorce was confirmed by the Syariah High Court on May 11, 2011.

On Feb 26, 2013, the Syariah High Court granted an order by Shahnaz requiring Mahmud to pay an interim maintenance of RM902,746.69. This was for expenses incurred for their son, who was born in 1993, from the time she and Mahmud divorced on March 11, 2011.

Shahnaz had filed claims for an education trust fund of RM40mil, a RM60mil terrace house in London, seeking tuition fees in Britain amounting to RM315,000, two Aston Martin cars, air travel for six times a year, RM10,000 for books, RM72,000 pocket money, RM5mil medical insurance and monthly pocket money for two years totalling RM72,000.