Her imperious finger is pointing a clear instruction, “out!” to whoever has been tasked with loading and removing a vast sea of boxes, packing cases, suitcases, rolled up carpets and wrapped up furniture that have been stacked up in the grand entrance hall of the Taib mansion at Demak Jaya.
The former Governor’s second wife, Ragad al Kurdi (44), looks to be in the process of moving out lock stock and barrel, according to pictures that have leaked out through WhatApp groups.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Report is informed that following further treatment at the Normah Hospital her elderly spouse, Abdul Taib Mahmud (87), remains languishing upstairs presumably not in the best of health.
Just days ago, following leaks which had been denied, Taib was unceremoniously dumped from office a month early and replaced without advance notice by Wan Junaidi.
So far, there has been no statement whatsoever from the previous incumbent, despite months of determined claims that he was in perfect health (barring minor treatments abroad) and capable of performing the duties of his office.
At the fore-front of all those claims was Ragad, uploading videos and photos of the happy couple on vacation in Turkey (where she has bank accounts and assets) in which Taib’s besotted young spouse could be heard crooning “because we all love you so much” into the billionaire geriatric’s ear.
Over that period a series of court cases have been opened up by Taib’s sons, in which Ragad is a defendant (along with her fragile husband) accused of procuring Taib’s signatures onto documents which have over the past weeks signed huge assets in the form of property and shares into her name.
Such are the burdens of great wealth, dubiously acquired, for all concerned. As the House of Taib has slowly crumbled around her it is purportedly Ragad herself who has ordered a gag against any statements on the present situation whatsoever.
No resignation statement, no health bulletin no grateful thanks to the people of Sarawak, just silence.
Yet, as the saying goes a picture can tell a thousand words:
The message these pictures tell is that Ragad al Kurdi is leaving her spousal home but not leaving empty handed.
What the picture does not reveal is what is to become of her husband who just passed her RM50 million in CMSB shares and put several of his properties in her name? Exactly how sick has Taib become and who is to care for him going forward?
Demak Jaya is bequeathed to Taib’s second daughter Hanifah in the event of his eventual death, meaning that at such a time Ragad would indeed be expected to move elsewhere. Are these scenes an indication that Mrs Taib is of the opinion that moment has become so imminent that she’s starting her packing now?
If so, it is perhaps all his family can hope that the deposed Governor is beyond being aware of what is going on around him or what has happened to his official status.
Maybe she plans to transport her ailing husband and pampered offspring to a controlled retirement in her favoured spot in Turkey?
In the absence of any proper statement, the questions folk in Kuching are asking is how much time the busily packing Ragad has had left spare to comfort her dearly beloved husband, whether she will take or leave him or if she will bother to even hang around until the end?