REDUCED TO NEAR ASH FOR CLOSING AN EYE TO NAJIB’S SHENANIGANS, BN NOW PLAYS HOLIER-THAN-THOU WITH MAHATHIR: ‘NO MATTER WHAT, DON’T SELL STAKE IN PETRONAS’ TO REPAY DEBTS’

 Malaysia's iconic Twin Towers are seen in the background of the Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas logo at a petrol station in Kuala Lumpur on August 13, 2014. Malaysian state energy firm Petronas is expected to announce its second quarter earnings later on August 13. AFP PHOTO / MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP / MANAN VATSYAYANA (Photo credit should read MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images)

PETALING JAYA – Barisan Nasional opposes any suggestion for the Government to dispose part of its stake in Petronas in order to pay off the country’s debts.

In a statement issued Tuesday (May 29), Umno headquarters’ strategic communications unit said that the Government should instead think of ways to increase the Petronas’ performance within and outside the country rather than take the easy way out.

“Barisan Nasional and Umno do not agree with any reason whatsoever if the Government plans to sell 25% of its holdings in Petronas to settle debts which have been politicised,” it said.

The statement appears to be in reference to an article in The Star on Saturday (May 26), titled, Listing of Petronas among options to increase revenue.

One option was the public listing of Petronas.

The article also quoted an unnamed investment banker who said that the disposal of a 25% stake in Petronas during a listing exercise could easily raise between RM150bil and RM200bil.

The statement by Umno headquarters’ strategic communications unit also denied the Government’s claim that the country’s debts totalled more than RM1 trillion.

It then questioned how the Government would come up with the remaining RM800bil to pay off the country’s debts if it managed to raise RM200bil from the sale.

“Is Pakatan Harapan planning to sell shares in other big companies or privatise some of the present agencies?”

The Umno statement asked whether the Government would invite foreign interference in the country’s government-linked companies (GLCs).

It also said that it was possible that Pakatan would think of ways sell off part of the Government’s stake in Khazanah Nasional and Permodalan Nasional Bhd.

– ANN