KUALA LUMPUR – An opposition lawmaker has submitted a parliamentary motion requesting that Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) proposed privatisation deal involving BlackRock Inc-affiliate Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) be debated as a matter of urgent public importance.
Filed under Standing Order 18(1) and (2), the motion submitted by Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal calls for a debate to urge the government to reconsider or retract its decision regarding the deal.
It is understood that the Machang MP’s previous submission for the motion to be debated under Standing Order 27(1) and (3) has been included as part of the lower house’s Order Papers for its upcoming session, scheduled to commence on June 24.
“This motion is definite as Blackrock is a company involved in sponsoring the illegitimate Israeli state led by a Zionist regime that has executed genocide against Palestinians… This is contrary to Malaysia’s stance, which opposes and condemns Israel’s actions.
“This motion is also urgent, as the longer a decision (on the deal) is delayed, the longer the Malaysian government will be held responsible for its involvement in supporting Israel’s inhumane acts,” Wah Fayhsal said in his written notification received by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s Office today.
Wan Fayhsal had previously filed a separate motion to refer Transport Minister Anthony Loke to Parliament’s rights and privileges committee for allegedly misleading the lower house over MAHB’s shareholding.
He had also filed another motion for the house to stop using the term “Israel” and suggested the use of “Palestine” or the “Occupied State of Palestine” instead, asserting that this would “destroy the identity of the illegal state of Israel” among Malaysians.
On May 15, it was announced that sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, via its wholly-owned subsidiary UEM Group Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), would lead a consortium called Gateway Development Alliance, which included GIP as one of its shareholders, in a privatisation exercise of MAHB.
The consortium had announced a pre-conditional voluntary offer to acquire all the shares in MAHB not already owned at an offer price of RM11 per share.
Upon completion, GIP and another consortium shareholder, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, would own 30% of MAHB.
A New York-based investment firm, BlackRock, owns GIP and also holds shares in weapons companies supplying arms to Israel.
Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz had previously defended the government’s decision to permit BlackRock’s holding of shares in MAHB, claiming that the firm is a listed company not owned by Israelis. – June 21, 2024