Loke accuses PAC chief of
having political agenda in
MAHB probe
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook says MAHB’s share transactions have nothing to do with his ministry.
Loke, the DAP secretary-general, asked if Mas Ermieyati’s remarks were politically motivated and said the Bersatu Wanita chief appeared to be attempting to create a negative perception of him.
Loke also asked why the transport ministry was being linked to the issue, saying MAHB’s transactions had nothing to do with his ministry as it was a listed company.
“I don’t know if she doesn’t understand, or is pretending not to understand. It is very clear that this is an equity issue and has nothing to do with the ministry,” he said at a press conference today.
“The PAC chairman must be fair… maybe she wants to put the blame on DAP because the transport minister is from DAP. Everything is DAP’s fault,” he added.
“If you want an explanation, ask the EPF. We have no equity in MAHB. The ministry is only the (transport) regulator, and our role is limited to operational agreements,” he said.
Last Tuesday, the Gateway Development Alliance (GDA) consortium succeeded in getting enough shares to delist and take MAHB private.
GDA comprises EPF, Khazanah Nasional Bhd-backed UEM Group Bhd, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and BlackRock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners.
Before the deal was sealed, its critics claimed that EPF had lost RM500 million in stock trading from buying back MAHB shares at higher prices after selling them at lower rates.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong said EPF’s stake in MAHB dropped from 15% to under 6% in 2023 before it repurchased shares in 2024 amid the planned takeover by GDA, which was in the works for eight months.
On Feb 1, Mas Ermieyati said the “relevant people”, including Loke, would be called to testify in stages, with proceedings set to begin in the second week of this month.
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