Abu Bekir gets court nod to inspect Cahya Mata financial records in long-running case

File photo for illustration purposes only. Photo: Pixabay

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Oct 8: The High Court has partially allowed Dato Sri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib’s application to inspect the accounting and other records of Cahya Mata Sarawak (Cahya Mata), while dismissing his application against five of the company’s subsidiaries.

Abu Bekir’s lawyer, Satinder Singh Sandhu of Sandhu & Co Advocates & Solicitors, said the Court ordered Cahya Mata, the 1st Defendant, to make the specified records available for inspection within 14 days after service of the sealed order.

“The records include Management Accounts, General Ledgers, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Ledgers, Fixed Assets Ledger and Inventory Listings for the financial years 2021 to 2025,” he said when contacted today.

The inspection is to be carried out by an approved company auditor acting for Abu Bekir, who must first file the undertaking required under Section 245(8) of the Act and provide a copy of the auditor’s licence.

The undertaking includes a condition that information obtained from the inspection may only be disclosed to Abu Bekir.

Sandhu also said the order would only be sealed after the undertaking is filed, while the auditor may take one copy of each record or have Cahya Mata provide photocopying facilities at RM1 per copy if required.

Meanwhile, the application against the 2nd to 6th Defendants — Oiltools International Sdn Bhd, Cahya Mata Oiltools Sdn Bhd, Cahya Mata Professionals Sdn Bhd, Cahya Mata Phosphates Industries Sdn Bhd and Cahya Mata Cement Sdn Bhd — was dismissed.

“The dismissal is without prejudice to Abu Bekir’s right to seek further relief if inspection of particular records of the subsidiaries later becomes necessary to obtain a true and fair view of Cahya Mata’s affairs,” he added.

The Court also granted liberty to apply and made no order as to costs.

“The Plaintiff will proceed in accordance with the Court’s order,” Sandhu stated.

Responding to DayakDaily, the Defendants’ legal team — Alvin Chong, Jonathan Tay and Ezekiel Chong — confirmed that Abu Bekir had only obtained an order for inspection of Cahya Mata’s records and did not obtain a similar order against the subsidiaries.

The team also clarified that the 14-day period for Cahya Mata to comply with the order has not yet started.

“Only upon receipt of sealed order, Cahya Mata has 14 days to comply with the order for production and inspection of the accounting and other records,” it said.

The team said it was still seeking instructions from Cahya Mata on the next steps to take.

The records application was filed in March 2025 and is separate from other ongoing legal proceedings between Abu Bekir and Cahya Mata, including an injunction dispute and matters concerning his position as a company director.

In separate proceedings, Cahya Mata has sought an injunction against Abu Bekir, including to restrain him from attending board meetings and providing confidential company information to third parties.

The wider dispute also involves disagreements over Abu Bekir’s role on the company’s board. In April 2026, Abu Bekir filed an originating summons seeking declarations on his rights as a director, including his right to attend and participate in board meetings, as well as access to past board meeting minutes.

Cahya Mata subsequently obtained an ex parte injunction restraining him from filing, initiating or continuing a proposed derivative action against the company. — DayakDaily