Malay rights NGO Perkasa is concerned that China’s increasing investment in Malaysia would have adverse effects on bumiputera businesses.

“Perkasa held this roundtable discussion without any prejudice against anyone.

“Our concern is whether this investment would negatively affect bumiputera’s opportunities in business,” Perkasa vice-president Ruhanie Ahmad said to reporters after their roundtable discussion in Kuala Lumpur today.

The roundtable discussion was specifically about the Malaysian government bringing in mega-investments from China and was attended by four panellists including Ideas president Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Universiti Malaya Economics and Development studies adjunct professor Kamil Salih.

Ruhanie clarified that despite its concerns, the group does not necessarily oppose the government’s decision to bring in investment from China to the country.

He said Perkasa would like the government to keep a close eye on all projects which involves investment from China.

Investment from China within Malaysia has raised concerns lately, with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad questioning whether various China-related projects such as the Malacca Gateway and the Forest City development would affect Malaysian sovereignty.

The RM43 billion Malacca Gateway project is a joint venture between the Malacca government’s KAJ Development Sdn Bhd and the China energy company PowerChina International.

Meanwhile, the developer behind the RM400 billion Forest City development in Johor is Country Garden Holdings, China’s third largest developer.

Additionally, China Communications Construction Co was awarded a contract last October to build a 620-kilometre East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) worth RM55 billion.

China Railway Engineering Corp had also bought a 40 percent stake in 1MDB’s Bandar Malaysia development in Kuala Lumpur for RM12.4 billion last year.

In November 2015, state-owned China General Nuclear also purchased 1MDB’s power assets for RM9.83 billion.