The son of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, Mahmud Abu Bekir, was absent when his contempt case came up in the Kuala Lumpur Syariah High Court today.

NONEThis prompted lawyers representing his former wife Shahnaz A Majid to apply for a warrant of arrest to be issued against Bekir.

Rafie Mohd Shafie told the court that the application for contempt against Bekir (left in photo) was served on Bekir on Dec 24, with the date of mention fixed for today.

Rafie said this was not the first time that Bekir was absent from court.

Bekir's lawyer, Siti Noorkamiliah Mat Jusoh, told the court that Bekir was overseas and proceeded to apply to set aside Shahnaz's contempt application.

However, Rafie objected, saying Bekir no right to appeal on the contempt issue, as a party in contempt does not have a right to be heard until the application was heard.

Judge Mohamad Abdullah then asked both parties to file written submissions on the matter and fixed Feb 26 to decide whether to initiate contempt proceedings or set aside the application.

The judge will decide also on that day whether a warrant of arrest should be issued.

Feb 26 was also fixed for the continued hearing of the division of the mutaah (gift) following Bekir’s divorce from Shahnaz.

Today's contempt proceeding was initiated after Bekir failed to comply with the court's order on May 9, 2011, to furnish details of his assets in Malaysia and abroad, following the couple’s divorce.

The pair divorced on May 11, 2009, and they have an 18-year-old son.

Swiss bank officials to come?

Rafie told reporters that he expects officers from a Swiss bank to testify in the mutaah case on Feb 26.

NONEShahnaz (right) is seeking a total of RM400 million in division of matrimonial assets and mutaah following the divorce.

She had testified in court that her former husband has 111 local and foreign bank accounts and was worth in excess of RM1 billion, and that his father, Taib, is among the richest people in Asia.

It was reported that Bekir had spent RM780,000 on a single charge card in the first six months of this year. This was then verified by a Maybank officer who also testified in the Syariah court.

On Dec 24, it was reported that Bekir has RM9 million in cash and unit trust accounts, besides his savings in the Employees Provident Fund.

Shahnaz had also filed a RM121 million child support claim against Bekir, saying her former husband had been neglectful in maintenance support for their son after their divorce.