The destruction of Borneo's rainforests has been called the greatest environmental crime of our time. But journalists and NGOs have long alleged that one man, Abdul Taib Mahmud, has benefitted from that destruction to the tune of billions of dollars. If that's true, it's one of the worst acts of corruption in the modern era.

And for over a decade, those same campaigners have argued that Taib's empire isn't limited to Malaysia. They claim that its tendrils extend deep into Canada. 

Featured in this episode: Mutang Urud, Clare Rewcastle Brown (The Sarawak Report)

To learn more:

Money Logging: On the Trail of the Malaysian Timber Mafia by Lukas Straumann 

A Time to Swim by Ashley Duong

“Political interference may have helped scuttle investigation of Canadian corporation” by Timothy Wilson in Ricochet

“How Canada's Wealthy Couple Splash Sarawak's Cash” by The Sarawak Report

The Facts Matter

Additional music from Audio Network

This episode is sponsored by Dispatch Coffee, Sandy and Nora

Support COMMONS: http://commonspodcast.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.