MCA Youth questions Madani Mart structure, flags conflict-of-interest risks

 

MCA Youth has raised concerns over the operational structure of Madani Mart, questioning whether its close links to top  political figures pose risks of conflicts of interest and weak transparency.

Its secretary-general Saw Yee Fung said the issue goes beyond whether public funds are used, but centres on who controls the system and how decisions are made.

The concerns follow remarks by Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Fuziah Salleh that Madani Mart is operated by Yayasan Madani without government funding.

According to available information, Yayasan Madani is chaired by Fuziah, while its founders and directors are political secretaries to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim—one in his capacity as prime minister and another linked to his role as finance minister.

Yayasan Madani has previously come under scrutiny over its governance and perceived links to political office holders, raising questions about its independence and transparency.

“How can such a foundation be regarded as independent when its leadership is so closely tied to the government’s top political figures?” Saw said.

“This overlap raises concerns about the concentration of power, potential conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency in decision-making.”

She said the initiative appears to go beyond a typical civil society effort, given its links to key government figures while implementing nationwide cost-of-living programmes.

Saw also questioned how a foundation established less than three years ago was able to roll out hundreds of community supermarkets in a short span of time.

“Without government funding, how has this rapid expansion been achieved? Without proper disclosure, what resources are being relied upon, and who is supporting these efforts behind the scenes?” she asked.

She added that a review of the foundation’s official website did not provide clear details on its operational model, funding sources or how funds are utilised.

Saw stressed that any project affecting the national supply of essential goods must be fully transparent.

“If there is truly no government support, which businesses would participate in a system that imposes franchise fees while restricting supply channels? If the commercial logic is unclear, public suspicion of hidden arrangements is inevitable,” she said.

She added that the core issue is whether public resources and market space are being managed within a structure controlled by a specific political circle.

“When policy, resources and appointments are concentrated in the same hands, transparency becomes essential,” she said.

MCA Youth urged the government to disclose the funding sources, appointment processes and operational mechanisms of Yayasan Madani, saying public confidence can only be restored through full transparency. ‒  Focus Malaysia