The Dato Mirza Mohd Taiyyab saga

Malaysia Today

Yesterday morning, half the staff at the Ministry of Tourism's DG's office were in court to show support to their Boss who is being unfairly charged.

Sources say that Dato Mirza Mohd Taiyyab and his staff at the Ministry of Tourism have been a thorn in the side of Azalina Othman since she became its Minister. This is not by design. Taiyab has always been a simple and straight forward Civil Servant.

When Azalina became Minister, she insisted that she wanted to bring along 20 of her own private staff but to be put on the Ministry's payroll. Civil Service rules only allow a Minister four private staff. Azalina felt irritated when she did not get her wish.

Not giving up, Azalina got her cronies to set up a company that was given a contract to handle the Minister of Tourism's advertising slots on RTM. The money paid to this company by the Ministry was diverted to pay the salaries of the private staff Azalina brought along.

Azalina never forgave the DG Taiyab for standing in her way. She vowed to get him. Since she became Minister it has been a running battle between the corrupt Minister and the straightforward DG.

Then Azalina's father showed up. He wanted a RM10 million contract from the Ministry of Tourism to open a 'Malaysia Tourism Kiosk' at the Beijing Olympics. Azalina ordered the DG to approve her father's request. The DG said no. This really got Azalina mad.

Azalina then launched an investigation into the DG to screw him up. She wanted him out of the way. They found nothing. The DG of the Minister of Tourism ran a tight ship and was responsible for a RM1 billion budget, all of which was being managed well by him.

Dato Taiyab is the most popular DG in the Ministry of Tourism. He is also well liked by most tourist related organisations like the hoteliers and travel agents associations. He has contributed significantly to promote Tourism Malaysia overseas.

There was one weak link. A dentist by the name of Dr Kamsiah. Dr Kamsiah's husband S. was a partner with the DG's brother T. They ran a media company. Three years ago, before he became DG, Dato Taiyab needed a tooth implant. His brother T. recommended his partner S's wife Dr Kamsiah. (Since then S. and his wife Dr Kamsiah have divorced and both have remarried).

Kamsiah fixed Dato Taiyab's teeth and charged him over RM15,000. This was three years ago. Since the implant treatment took months, he paid a little at a time during each visit. After a while Dr Kamsiah told him that she will bill him in total at the end of the treatment.

But unknown to Dato Taiyab, she sent the bill to her then husband S. who settled the bill without informing Dato Taiyyab.

Here is another connection. Kamsiah was the dormitory mate of Azalina at University. She is also known to be 'one of them'.

Later S. had a falling out with his partner T. Something about not getting contracts from the Min of Tourism. Despite having his brother as their partner, the DG of Tourism was 'impenetrable.'

He had to be 'removed'. Hence the old dental bills were pulled out conveniently.

Now with the DG out of the way, the Ministry of Tourism will be having 'Happy Hour' for some time. This is what is really happening at the Ministry of Tourism. An honest Civil Servant is being victimised by a corrupt Minister.