Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud received a surprise birthday present from his wife - an RM1.5 million car.

Ragad Taib presented the 80-year-old former chief minister with the white Bentley Continental GT V8 S convertible, affixed with gold ribbons, during a celebration in Kuching last Saturday.

According to sources, the gift also coincided with the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.

Ragad, 36, who hails from Syria, married Taib in 2010 after the death of his first wife Laila a year earlier due to cancer.

Taib and Laila, who were married in 1959, were blessed with four children, Jamilah, Mahmud Abu Bekir, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman and Hanifah as well as 15 grandchildren.

Meanwhile, the source also denied previous reports claiming the Bentley was presented by Taib to his wife.

According to Borneo Post, the birthday and wedding anniversary celebration was held at the state legislative assembly complex.

Also present were Deputy Chief Ministers Douglas Uggah Embas and Abang Johari Tun Openg, former deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu Numpang, cabinet ministers and family members.

Malaysiakini has contacted the office of the Sarawak governor for further information.

Last May, whistleblower website Sarawak Report claimed that Taib was given a 2012 Rolls-Royce Phantom - which he can use whenever he is in Kuala Lumpur as his official car.

At the time of the report, it was stated that the car sold for 365,000 pounds sterling (RM2 million) in Britain.

Taib had relinquished his position as chief minister in 2014 after being in power for more than three decades and was succeeded by his former brother-in-law Adenan Satem.