KUALA LUMPUR: A shouting match erupted in the Dewan Rakyat today after Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) called for an audit of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).
When debating the recently released Auditor-General's report, Awang alleged that BlackRock already had 100 per cent ownership of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).
"We hope that the audit of MAHB will reveal findings that negate the necessity for us to offer these MAHB shares, which have shown substantial profits.
"Last year's profit was RM540 million. This company is profitable, so why give away this profit to others? Let's give it to local companies.
"Even though it (GIP) is not called BlackRock, but GIP has 100 per cent BlackRock shares in it. That's a technicality BlackRock hid earlier," he said.
Meanwhile, Howard Lee (Ipoh Timor-PH) cited the House's standing order and called on Awang to prove his claim that GIP is wholly owned by BlackRock.
"What you just said just now, that it is 100 per cent owned by BlackRock, please provide evidence.
"Because that is false and inaccurate. It needs to be retracted as it is misleading the House.
"Stop trying to construct a narrative with misleading facts for the House. In Standing Order 36(12), members cannot issue statements that mislead the House," he said.
Lee then sought advice from deputy speaker Alice Lau on the situation, but chaos ensued until all parliament members' microphones were muted.
"Speaker, ask him to retract the statement. It is known that factually, the sale has yet to happen," Lee said.
Lau then instructed Lee to submit a motion on the issue.
Khazanah Nasional Bhd (Khazanah) previously said that it was leading a consortium known as the Gateway Development Alliance (GDA) in a conditional voluntary offer to buy all shares in Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) that it did not own.
Besides GIP through GIP Aureus Pte Ltd, the consortium's shareholders also included the Employee Provident Fund and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
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.