KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that the share deal between the country's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd (Khazanah) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) was not made by the Cabinet.
During the prime minister's question time in Dewan Rakyat today, Anwar said the matter was only informed to the Cabinet when a decision was made.
"All investments by Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Khazanah are not matters for the Cabinet (to discuss).
"I also want to emphasise that in the minutes of previous meetings (by the Cabinet), all of these companies were not discussed or referred to the Cabinet, the same was done including when the other side (the opposition) was in administration.
"However, I did inform the Cabinet afterwards about what had transpired for their information and news saying that we did not know was correct because I only informed them (the Cabinet) after the decision was made," he told the Lower House.
Previously, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan revealed that the share deal between the Khazanah and GIP was not a decision of the Cabinet.
He also hoped that the decision over the share deal between Khazanah and the United States asset management firm allegedly linked to BlackRock Inc could be reviewed.
Meanwhile, refuting the claim, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said explanations regarding the share deal between Khazanah and GIP had been made several times in Cabinet meetings.
"There have been explanations in the cabinet, but not in as much detail as yesterday in the pre-council meeting presented to all members of parliament, the Dewan Rakyat, Dewan Negara, as well as ministers and deputy ministers.
"Explanations regarding the share deal have been made several times before in the cabinet," Zahid said.
Khazanah last month announced that it was leading a consortium known as the Gateway Development Alliance (GDA) in a conditional voluntary offer to buy all shares in MAHB that it did not own.
Besides GIP through GIP Aureus Pte Ltd, the consortium's shareholders also included EPF and Adia.
However, concerns arose after BlackRock, an American asset management company with pro-Israeli links, acquired GIP where the transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, GIP had reiterated that BlackRock was not in any way involved in the transaction relating to MAHB privatisation through GDA.
