KUALA LUMPUR: A minister has revealed that the share deal between the country's sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) was a decision of the Cabinet.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in a report published by a Malay daily, was quoted as saying that he hoped the decision over the share deal between Khazanah Nasional and the United States asset management firm with alleged link to BlackRock Inc could be reviewed.
"We, Umno ministers, provided our views that, if possible, this matter should not proceed, but the transaction has already advanced way too far.
"So, let us see how things go... We also do not know whether it will continue or not, as Khazanah is under the Finance Ministry.
"We must examine both the positive and negative impacts of the matter (the share deal between Khazanah Nasional and GIP)," Mohamad, who is also the Umno deputy president, said.
He said to reporters after launching Jasin Umno division's delegates' meeting in Melaka yesterday.
GIP previously reiterated that BlackRock was not in any way involved in the transaction relating to Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) privatisation through the Gateway Development Alliance (GDA) consortium.
GIP head of transport Phil Iley said in January that the international infrastructure company was being acquired by BlackRock, an American asset management company with pro-Israeli links, with the transaction expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
Khazanah Nasional last month announced that it was leading a consortium known as GDA in a conditional voluntary offer to buy all shares in MAHB that it did not own.
Besides GIP through GIP Aurea Pte Ltd, the consortium's shareholders also included the Employees Provident Fund and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia).