#KiniNews: Taib Mahmud passes away; Dr M making 'excuses' to skip Pulau Batu Puteh RCI, says Puad

[KiniNews] Former Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud has passed away, aged 87.

According to his youngest daughter Hanifah Hajar, Taib breathed his last at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur around 4.40am.

The last rites for Taib were performed at the National Mosque, before his remains were flown back to Kuching, Sarawak.

Meanwhile, in a separate story, Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi claimed that Dr Mahathir Mohamad is making excuses to decline participation in the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) involving the sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh as he has committed an "unforgivable sin".

According to Puad, the former premier's objection to former chief justice Md Raus Sharif leading the RCI is akin to him being afraid of his own shadow.

On Feb 16, Mahathir's lawyer Rafique Rashid said that the former may be advised to decline participation in the RCI to review matters related to the cases involving the sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge if it continues to be chaired by Raus.
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