Muhammad Muhammad Taib

Born in Kampung Sungai Manggis, Kuala Kalumpang, Hulu Selangor, he was of Minangkabau descent from Rao, West Sumatera. He went to an English Primary School in Kuala Kubu Baru. Muhammad is a graduate from Universiti Malaya with a first-class degree in History and Malay studies, and was also a former teacher at SMK Kuala Kubu Baru.{{cite news |url=https://mattaib.wordpress.com/10-2/ |title=Biodata |work=Muhammad Muhammad Taib's Blog |publisher= Mat Taib berbicara… |access-date=20 September 2017}}

The political veteran joined UMNO in 1964, and quickly rose within its ranks to be appointed as Selangor Umno deputy state liaison committee chief and elected UMNO vice-president. In 1993, Muhammad and two other top party leaders then - Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin - won the vice-presidency after they joined Anwar Ibrahim who won the deputy presidency uncontested; forming Vision Team (Team Wawasan) to face the UMNO internal party election.

Muhammad was former Selangor state assemblyman of Batang Kali constituency for four terms, winning in the general elections of 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1995. He served as Menteri Besar of Selangor from 1986 to 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.selangor.gov.my/main.php?Content=vertsectiondetails&VsItemID=172&VertSectionID=5&CurLocation=44&Page=1 |title=Sejarah Menteri Besar : MANTAN DATO' MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR|year=2008 |publisher=Laman Web Rasmi Kerajaan Negeri Selangor |language=ms |access-date=1 January 2010 |location=Selangor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604140503/http://www.selangor.gov.my/main.php?Content=vertsectiondetails&VsItemID=172&VertSectionID=5&CurLocation=44&Page=1 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy }} However, he was forced to resign as Selangor Menteri Besar in April 1997 after he was charged in Australia over currency irregularities involving more than $A1.2 million (RM2.9 million).{{cite news |url=http://www.economist.com/node/147620 |title=Excess baggage |date=17 April 1997 |publisher= The Economist |access-date=16 May 2017}}

In 2006, he was appointed as a senator in the Dewan Negara, the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia.{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2006/02/15/senator-post-for-mat-taib/ |title=Senator post for Mat Taib |work= The Star |date=15 February 2006 |access-date=16 May 2017}} This allowed him to be appointed as a minister by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in March 2008.{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2008/03/19/muhammad-didnt-see-post-coming/ |title=Muhammad didn't see post coming |work= The Star |date=19 March 2008 |access-date=16 May 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2008/03/19/new-ministers-and-deputy-ministers/ |title=New ministers and deputy ministers |work= The Star |date=19 March 2008 |access-date=16 May 2017}} He contested the post of UMNO deputy president in March 2009 but came out second to Muhyiddin Yassin.{{cite news |url=http://www.bintulu.org/2009/03/27/muhyiddin-beats-muhammad-taib-elected-umno-deputy-president.php |title= Muhyiddin beats Muhammad Taib, elected Umno deputy president |date=27 March 2009 |publisher= BTUWEEKLY |access-date=16 May 2017}} His stint in the Cabinet ended after a reshuffling by new Prime Minister Najib Razak in April 2009.{{cite news |title=Eight ministers dropped |url=http://www.thenutgraph.com/eight-ministers-dropped/ |work= Bernama |author=Jacqueline Ann Surin |date= 9 April 2009 |publisher= The Nut Graph |access-date=20 September 2017}}

On 14 April 2013, Muhammad joined opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a component party of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) then.{{cite news |title= Ex-Umno veep Mat Taib joins PAS |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/226883|work=Hafiz Yatim |date=15 April 2013 |publisher= Malaysiakini |access-date=16 May 2017}} He was formally introduced by the party on 22 April 2013, just two days after the 13th General Election nomination day to avoid allegations that he took the step to be nominated in the general election. PAS is the only party that can lead Malaysia towards Islam, Muhammad said.{{cite news |title=Only PAS can lead M'sia to Islam, declares Mat Taib |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/227615 |work=Hazlan Zakaria |date=22 April 2013 |publisher= Malaysiakini |access-date=16 May 2017}} In previous statements Muhammad was a strong critic for the Pakatan Rakyat led state government of Selangor. He stated that Pakatan Rakyat Selangor, under the helm of the Menteri Besar of Selangor Khalid Ibrahim was losing grip of the state. He even stated that he believes that Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the accuser of Anwar Ibrahim sexual escapades was the real victims and no one is helping Saiful Bukhari.ELIZABETH LOOI. [http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/19/nation/20080719122626&sec=nation "GE13: PAS banking on spent force"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320063301/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2008%2F7%2F19%2Fnation%2F20080719122626&sec=nation |date=20 March 2012 }}, The Star, 19 Julai 2008. Retrieved on 25 April 2013.

On 10 September 2015, Muhammad quit PAS as he was involved in the Gerakan Harapan Baru movement and was going to join a new party called AMANAH, but instead he joined People's Justice Party (PKR) of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition.{{cite news |title=Mat Taib, Kamaruddin Jaffar tinggal PAS, masuk PKR |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/311936|date=11 Sep 2015 |publisher= Malaysiakini |language=ms|access-date=16 May 2017}}

On 17 September 2017, Muhammad rejoined UMNO announced by Najib Razak in a special media conference after leaving it to be with the opposition for four years.{{cite news |title=Muhd Taib rejoins Umno |url=https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/15010/ |date=17 September 2017 |publisher= The Malaysian Insight |access-date=20 September 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/17/mat-taib-rejoins-umno/ |title=Mat Taib rejoins Umno |work= The Star |date=17 September 2017 |access-date=20 September 2017}}

In 1987, Muhammad, during his early tenure as Selangor's Menteri Besar angered the Sultan of Selangor when it was found that he had secretly married the ruler's daughter Tengku Puteri Zahariah in Sungai Golok, Thailand. The late sultan later accepted his apologies.{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/selangor-politician-muhammad-taib-back-in-umno-fold|title=Selangor politician Muhammad Taib back in Umno fold|author=Nadirah H. Rodzi|date=18 September 2017|work=The Straits Times|access-date=20 September 2017}}

In 1997, Muhammad was forced to resign after he was charged in Australia with making false currency declarations after millions of dollars were found in his suitcase as he was leaving the country. However, he was found not guilty, after claiming he could not understand the declaration forms which were in English.{{cite news|url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=1998&dt=0530&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Front_Page&pg=fp_01.htm|title=Muhammad Taib Acquitted Of Currency Charges|date= 30 May 1998 |work=Utusan Malaysia|access-date=20 September 2017}} Somehow, in a later development, an investigative committee found that the court had erred in its judgment.[http://www.tranungkite.net/v7/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=16976 Limbo Rock Dalam Pemilihan Umno Tarikh : Tuesday, October 07 @ 10:00:00 MYT]

The prosecution at Brisbane Federal Court on 19 August 1997 as for his failure to declare bringing over A$5,000. He and his wife stay a few weeks in Brisbane and wishing to build a luxury house on a 4,500 hectare land at Gold Coast, in Queensland. After that he wish to fly to New Zealand. The land at Sovereign Island was registered under his wife's name Asbi Rohani Binti Asnan which was bought a year earlier for $3 million.[http://www.limkitsiang.com/archive/1997/June97/sg512.htm Speech (Part II) - DAP Malacca Anniversary Dinner][http://sahathevan.blogspot.com/2008/02/umno-candidate-mike-tyson-was-found.html UMNO candidate Mike Tyson was found guilty on appeal, even if acquitted][http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/80293 Will Muhd Muhd Taib declare Aussie properties?] Muhammad Taib was charged with failure to declare his assets.{{cite news|url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=1998&dt=0609&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Front_Page&pg=fp_01.htm|title=Muhammad Taib To Be Charged With Failure To Declare Assets |date= 9 June 1998 |work=Utusan Malaysia|access-date=20 September 2017}}

Muhammad first married Asbi Rohani Asnan during his early teaching career in Tanjung Malim, and they had four daughters and one son together.{{cite news |url=http://library.perdana.org.my/Digital_Content/Prominent_Leaders/Mahathir/News_1968-2004/1996-1998/1997ko/muhgan%20mike%20tyson.pdf |title=Muhammad-profil :MUHAMMAD SENASIB DENGAN MIKE TYSON |work= Bernama |language=ms |date=12 April 1997 |publisher=Library Perdana |access-date=20 September 2017}}

He later married Tengku Puteri Zahariah binti Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, the daughter of the late Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah. During this marriage, he was granted the honorific title Yang Amat Mulia and later Yang Berhormat Mulia. The couple had one son before divorcing.{{cite news |url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2001&dt=1125&sec=Rencana&pg=re_01.htm |title=Selamat tinggal ayahandaku |language=ms |date=25 November 2001 |work=Utusan Malaysia |access-date=20 September 2017}}

Muhammad also married Dr. Rodzina Hayati Tajul Ariffin, with whom he had four sons and one daughter.{{cite news |url=http://www.tranungkite.net/lama/berita8/harakah67.htm |title=Salah seorang isteri bekas MB Selangor hadapi tuntutan hina mahkamah |work=Harakah Daily |language=ms |date=28 September 2000 |publisher=Tranung Kite |access-date=20 September 2017}}

• {{Flag|Malaysia}} :
• 50px Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1985){{cite web|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|title=SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT|publisher=Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia)|access-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929181530/http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|archive-date=29 September 2018|url-status=dead}}
• 50px Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (1989)
• {{Flag|Selangor}} :
• 50px Recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal (PJK)
• 50px Companion of the Order of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (SSA)
• 50px Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (DPMS) – Dato' (1987)
• 50px Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (1991)
• {{Flag|Malacca}} :
• 50px Grand Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DGSM) – Datuk Seri

• Batang Kali (state constituency)

{{reflist}}

• [https://mattaib.wordpress.com/ Official blog]

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{{s-bef|before=Ahmad Razali Mohamad Ali}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chief Minister of Selangor|years=14 August 1986 – 14 April 1997}}

{{s-aft|after=Abu Hassan Haji Omar}}

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{{Third Abdullah cabinet}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Muhammad Muhammad Taib}}

Category:Living people

Category:1945 births

Category:Malaysian politicians of Malay descent

Category:Malaysian people of Minangkabau descent

Category:Malaysian Muslims

Category:Former Malaysian Islamic Party politicians

Category:Former People's Justice Party (Malaysia) politicians

Category:United Malays National Organisation politicians

Category:Chief ministers of Selangor

Category:Selangor state executive councillors

Category:Members of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly

Category:Government ministers of Malaysia

Category:Members of the Dewan Negara

Category:Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia

Category:Members of the Order of the Defender of the Realm

Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor

Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor

Category:21st-century Malaysian politicians