MAHB and BlackRock: The Backlash!

A group of 22 Malaysian civil society organizations is protesting a $2.6 billion bid to privatize Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) by a consortium including a firm being acquired by BlackRock, alleging ties with Israel.

The consortium, led by Khazanah Nasional Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), includes Global Infrastructure Partners and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

The protest aligns with ongoing boycott campaigns against U.S. firms over the Gaza war. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim dismissed claims that a pro-Zionist company would own 25% of MAHB. The deal would result in Khazanah and EPF holding 70% of MAHB.

The federal government of Malaysia is considering the privatization of MAHB. The deal involves the acquisition of a majority of shares in MAHB by United States-based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).

Khairy Jamaluddin’s Concerns

Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin expressed concerns about the privatisation due to its association with a company linked to Israel.

GIP, which acquired MAHB shares, was itself acquired by US multinational investment company BlackRock, Inc a few months ago.

BlackRock has become a target of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement due to its investments in companies that supply weapons and military equipment to the Tel Aviv regime.

Khairy emphasized that the privatisation announcement coincided with the ongoing genocide against the Palestinians, making it a critical issue.

He suggested that the government reconsider the deal and explore other companies besides GIP.

Khazanah and EPF Allegations

Machang member of Parliament Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal alleged that Khazanah Nasional Bhd (Khazanah) and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) plan to sell their stake in MAHB to GIP and BlackRock.

The Bersatu youth also claimed that GIP is fully owned by BlackRock, which is the world’s largest asset manager and has links to arms suppliers involved in the Palestinian crisis.

In summary, there are concerns about the privatisation of MAHB due to BlackRock’s involvement and its connections to companies associated with Israel. The situation remains contentious, and stakeholders are closely monitoring developments. For further details, you can refer to the original article here.