Former Sarawak chief minister’s son Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib admitted to being polygamous without court permission, twice, while being married to Shahnaz Abdul Majid.

Abu Bekir, whose father Abdul Taib Mahmud is now governor of Sarawak, made the admission while being cross-examined by Shahnaz's lawyer Akbardin Abdul Kader.

This was during today’s hearing of Shahnaz's demand of RM100 million as muta'ah (matrimonial gift) from Abu Bekir in the Syariah High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Shahnaz (right) had earlier claimed that Bekir had brought an Australian woman to his sister's wedding in 2000, but Bekir today claimed that he had also married the woman referred to by Shahnaz.

"For the court's information, she was my wife," he said.

When pressed on the reasons behind his decision to marry that woman in Narathiwat, Thailand, Bekir maintained a prolonged silence before saying, "It was more convenient for me."

Akbardin suggested that the marriage took place in Thailand to hide the marriage from Shahnaz, but Bekir disagreed.

Bekir said that he had never brought a woman, who is not his wife, to any of his family functions.

"As far as I can recall, I never brought a woman to meet my parents if she is not my wife," he said.

"I never brought any girlfriend to meet my parents," he added.

Shahnaz is demanding a muta'ah of RM100 million following the couple's divorce in May 2011. They were married for 19 years.

She is also seeking RM121 million for fund their son's education and RM300 million from Bekir's assets, which were accumulated during their marriage.

The couple has a 22-year-old son who is now studying overseas.