KUALA LUMPUR – Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has criticised attempts to blame the state government for Bin Zayed International LLC’s withdrawal from the RM40 billion Langkasuka project in Langkawi, stressing it was a private venture unrelated to state administration.
“It’s not a state government project; it’s a private initiative between Widad Business Group Sdn Bhd and Bin Zayed,” he said during a press conference following the tabling of the Kedah Budget 2025 at the State Legislative Assembly in Wisma Darul Aman on Sunday, as quoted by Sinar Harian.
“I don’t understand why this issue is being raised now when the withdrawal was announced on Bursa Malaysia. It’s a listed company.
“Some are angry at me, but it has nothing to do with me. The project was announced by the then-prime minister in Kuala Lumpur, not me.”
On Friday, global investment conglomerate Bin Zayed International Group of Companies (BZI) officially confirmed its withdrawal from the Langkasuka project, citing the decision was made in 2022 to focus on more realistic and high-potential opportunities.
BZI Managing Director Datuk Seri Dr Shamir Kumar Nandy said the group opted out of the strategic collaboration with Widad Business Group, which was initially formed in 2021 to develop the mixed-development project, Widad@Langkasuka.
Sanusi dismissed allegations of state government failure, stating the withdrawal did not financially affect the state as land premiums and taxes had already been paid.
“They’ve paid millions in land premiums and taxes. Even though the project didn’t proceed with BZI, Widad is still moving forward with phase one, albeit slowly,” he said.
He emphasised that the collaboration was purely a business decision and had no direct involvement with the state government.
“This is their business move, nothing to do with us. I’ve explained this repeatedly, yet it keeps coming up. I feel like they’re just trying to find fault with us over a private project.”
Sanusi further highlighted that project failures are not uncommon, even at the federal level, without sparking similar criticism.
“Many business ventures fail. Some were announced by the prime minister with specific companies committing to invest but later pulled out. Why aren’t people angry at the prime minister?
“This project wasn’t even announced by me; it was by the companies involved. But since it’s in Kedah, they’re blaming me,” he said sarcastically.
On Saturday, Sungai Petani MP and Kedah PKR Youth Chief Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari criticised the Langkasuka project’s collapse, describing it as a significant failure of Sanusi’s leadership, which he claimed could leave the project abandoned and Langkawi’s progress hindered. – November 24, 2024
