Claims by former cabinet minister Sanusi Junid that PKR de facto leader and then finance minister Anwar Ibrahim had thwarted the “Malay agenda” in the banking industry is untrue, PKR said.

PKR communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said this is evident as Malay leaders, including former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, held large stakes in purported non-Malay banking group Alliance Finance Group Bhd (AFG).

NONE “Maybe the Malay agenda Sanusi meant was to protect the interests of Umno or Barisan Nasional cronies, like how Petronas was pressured into bailing out Konsortium Perkapalan Berhad (KPB)...” he said in a statement today.

Referring to the Petronas bailout following KPB's losses of RM2 billion in the 1997 crisis, Nik Nazmi ( right ) claimed that it was Anwar who tried to block that move.

KPB was owned by Mirzan Mahathir, son of then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

According to the Seri Setia assemblyperson, Daim's relationship with AFG has been long-standing, with Daim-linked Langkah Bahagia Sdn Bhd owning 14.8 percent stake in it.

Nik Nazmi added that the relationship began in 1982, when Daim bought over the Malaysian French Bank, which was later renamed Multi-Purpose Bank.

Multi-Purpose later merged with six other financial institutions, including Langkah Bahagia-owned International Bank Malaysia Bhd to form AFG.

“Sanusi's statement has no basis and is mere slander. He is so intent on attacking Anwar and defending Mahathir and Daim that he could not see the economic abuse which has victimised Malaysians and Malays,” he said.

Silence over Hong Leong Group

Nik Nazmi was, however, silent on the other banking group mentioned by Sanusi—Hong Leong Group.

sanusi junid 050608 The former Agriculture Minister ( left ) was yesterday quoted by the Malaysian Insider as saying that Anwar had thwarted Mahathir's Malay agenda in the banking industry by awarding licences to Hong Leong and AFG.

Addressing the Malay Economic Congress, he said that Mahathir had wanted to adapt a German policy of not granting banking licences to Jews in order to control the economy.

Mahathir has, however, denied emulating Nazi Germany policies.

"It may be regarded as (similar to the) anti-Jew (policy), but the purpose was to develop Malaysia. It is not 'anti-non-Malay',” Mahathir had said in response.