KUALA LUMPUR: Umno stands firm with the government's decision for Khazanah Nasional to sell shares in Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno President said the party's stance on the matter aligns with that of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He also said the recent comments made by his Deputy President to a Malay daily were personal views and do not reflect the party's official stance.
"Umno's stance (on the Khazanah-Global Infrastructure Partners share deal) is clearly aligned with the Prime Minister's position.
"The statement given by Tok Mat (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) is his personal opinion.
"I met with him last night, and he clarified that it was his personal view, not Umno's official stance," he said in a press conference after officiating the Karisma Pemikir Madani programme here today.
Previously, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan revealed that the share deal between the country's sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, and GIP was not a decision of the Cabinet.
In a report published by a Malay daily, he was quoted as saying that he hoped the decision over the share deal between Khazanah and the United States asset management firm allegedly linked to BlackRock Inc could be reviewed.
Refuting the claim, Zahid said that explanations regarding the share deal between the country's sovereign wealth fund, 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," he said.
GIP previously reiterated that BlackRock was not in any way involved in the transaction relating to 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 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 Aureus Pte Ltd, the consortium's shareholders also included the Employees Provident Fund and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia).