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PAS’s Bachok MP Syahir Sulaiman cited the connection between US-based BlackRock and the supply of weapons to Israel in calling for Putrajaya to take the necessary action.
Last month, BlackRock completed its acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which is set to obtain a 30% stake in MAHB together with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
According to the United Nations, BlackRock is a financial institution that has invested in weapons manufacturers that supply arms to Israel.
Syahir said it was therefore Malaysia’s responsibility as a UN member to add pressure on any party involved or enabling war crimes in Gaza.
“Malaysia must firmly state that BlackRock is not welcome to partner in the management of the nation’s airport and should take steps to terminate the MAHB deal in an honourable and final manner,” he said in a statement.
Various quarters have urged Putrajaya to scrap the MAHB privatisation exercise, which would also see sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd increase its stake from 33.2% to 40%, and EPF from 7.9% to 30%.
Their gripe concerns GIP being wholly-owned by BlackRock, which has been accused of “profiteering from genocide” through its stakes in US defence firms that allegedly manufacture weapons used by Israel.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had said GIP was chosen as it agreed with the government’s conditions that MAHB’s majority shareholders, chairman and CEO, must be Malaysian.
He questioned if Malaysia should also cancel trade with major firms like Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia since they also had some Israeli interests.
Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz had previously pointed out that BlackRock already owned RM27.5 billion in assets in Malaysia, saying dropping its investments would have clear negative implications on the nation’s investment agenda.
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