Blackrock: Anwar's aide calls out Khairy's superficial logic

Blackrock: Anwar's aide calls out Khairy's superficial logic

Published: Jun 22, 2024 12:27 PM


An aide to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called out Khairy Jamaluddin over the latter’s “shallow argument” that to allow US-based Blackrock to own shares in Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) would be akin to the government abetting the genocide in Palestine.

Anwar’s political secretary Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim said the former minister should be more careful and responsible in making statements, and not get carried away with emotions.

“If we follow Khairy’s simple formula, it is better we cut off diplomatic relations with the United States.

“Has he forgotten that the United States is the most vocal supporter of Zionist Israel to the point of denying Palestine from becoming a full member of the United Nations?

“Isn’t maintaining trade relations with America considered as conspiring with the massacre of people in Palestine? That’s why his logic is so superficial,” Kamil told Malaysiakini yesterday.

On Thursday, Khairy, as a panellist at a public forum in Kuala Lumpur, claimed it was clear Blackrock plays a part in the genocide in Palestine since the company is owned by a Zionist who openly supports Israel’s attacks on Palestine and criticises Hamas.


‘In Malaysia since 1990s’

However, Kamil who is also PKR’s deputy youth leader, claimed Khairy hid the fact that Blackrock had been established in Malaysia since the 1990s.

Kamil also questioned whether the former Rembau MP was pretending to not know of Blackrock’s hold on Bursa Malaysia since the 1990s, and now is the second largest shareholder in the Malaysian stock market.

Khairy Jamaluddin

“And did Blackrock founder Larry Fink only become a Zionist after Oct 7 and before that he was a Wahhabi?” asked Kamil.

Further, Kamil cited Khairy’s reported appointment as an independent non-executive director at CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd (CGS), which according to him some of the shares in the parent company were also owned by Blackrock.

“What kind of hypocrisy is Khairy trying to highlight?” he asked.

Kamil reiterated the government’s stand that it never defended any party that conspired with Israel’s Zionist regime.

“The position of the PM and the government on the issue of Israeli violence against the Palestinian people is clear. And we are the most vocal in defending the fate of the people in Palestine.

“Therefore, calling the PM an accomplice in the crime of genocide is extreme and insolent," he said.

Previously, a consortium consisting of a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional, the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) had announced a plan to buy MAHB’s shares and turn it into a private company.

Khazanah and EPF defended the acquisition as a step to increase the competitiveness of Malaysian airports.

Khazanah’s managing director Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir also stressed that Blackrock has yet to obtain GIP.

This is despite Blackrock announcing in January that it had fully acquired GIP and is expected to finalise the deal by the third quarter of this year, which is between July and September.