ECK withdrew proposal, Syed Mokhtar denies interest in KXP, Anwar calls out Sanusi's misinformation

SHAH ALAM - The initial partner for the Kulim Airport project ECK Group had withdrawn in July last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Anwar said the matter was informed to him by Tranport Minister Anthony Loke, adding Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's persistence over the continuation of the project was also baseless since his claims that the Albukhary Group would continue the project has also been refuted.

The Prime Minister informed the Dewan Rakyat that Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary himself had contacted him by phone to notify that his company could not afford to undertake the RM7 billion project.

"Syed Mokhtar himself phoned me just now. He said, 'I'm sorry, Datuk Seri. I am not ready to take on the project'," said Anwar.

Anwar said this was in contrast to a letter Muhammad Sanusi had sent to him, which stated the private company would be managing the project.

Anwar then reinstated Loke's premise on the collaborating company which Sanusi did not recall in the letter.

He said, "The company as mentioned by the transport minister, ECK Group which had been selected as a strategic associate in July 2022 had called off their proposal.

"If they still wanted to do it, then they can propose it again. If relevant, the research is valid, the tranport minister, who is more patient than me, can consider," he added.

Earlier this month, Sinar Daily discovered a potential factor that brought about the Finance Minister's decision to shelve the mega project set to be run as a joint venture between the state government and the selected company.

A number of documents denoted that ECK Group was entangled in 12 cases still under active investigations by the Anti Money Laundering Act (AMLA) by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Act (MACC), which the commission confirmed, while the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) had also confirmed to an activist that the company was under their investigation.