$1 Dollar Mansion?
By Sarawak Report
Sarawak Report would like to enquire of Abdul Taib Mahmud how much he paid for the mansion that Samling passed on to his family in Seattle, USA ?
The residence forms an enormous property, standing in its own grounds in one of the most prestigious area of Seattle on Boylston Avenue. It was passed from a Samling-owned company to a company now owned by Abdul Taib Mahmud and his family, for just one US dollar in 1991.
Click for King County Assessment Office details
Described as a Top Grade Mansion in ‘very good’ condition by Washington State’s King County Department of Assessments, the property was valued at over US$ 6.8 million in 2008.
It has 6 bedrooms and 5 main bathrooms and an enormous total living space of 9,020 square feet, plus a basement of 2,120 square feet. The house is surrounded by a large open porch and there is a big basement garage for the car-loving Taib family, plus a second, attached garage. The mansion is surrounded by gracious gardens, kept in manicured condition and the grounds total 26,172 square feet.
See pictures of Samling properties under http://sarawakreport.org/2010/08/from-samling-to-the-taibs/#1
Click for Home Appraisal Document (1996)’ “The Taib home, located at 1117 Boylston Avenue in the community of Seattle…”
Mysterious acquisition
Lord and Lady of the Manor
The property, registered under the company W. A. Boylston Inc (California), has been in the possession of the Taib family since the early to mid-1990s. Family portraits of the Chief Minister, his deceased wife and four sons and daughters as small children, adorn the elaborate rooms.
They have all spent time in the mansion, which is not occupied by anyone else. The property forms part of the family’s Sakti International Corporation, incorporated in California and currently managed by Hisham (Sean) Murray, the Chief Minister’s son in law, out of his offices at 333 Preston Street, Ontario, Canada.
However, there is confusion in the Seattle public records as to how the property passed to the Taibs. Sarawak Report has been unable to obtain any clear record of the transfer from one owner to another or, importantly, the register of any payment that would normally be eligible for taxation. We therefore request a statement from the Taibs to explain the situation.
