Trust Council of Elders, tycoon Kuok tells Malaysians
Robin Augustin | May 22, 2018
Hong Kong-based billionaire says council members are 'excellent' people.
Robert Kuok (second from left), holding hands with former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, after the meeting of the Council of Elders on Tuesday. (Facebook pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Tycoon Robert Kuok has urged Malaysians to put their trust in the Council of Elders.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the council today, the Hong Kong-based billionaire said: “All of us wish our country well. We hope the rakyat are taken care off.”
He declined to divulge details of what transpired today but said he would not be able to attend the meetings often as he was based overseas.
“Daim, Zeti, Hassan, Jomo. They are all excellent people. Trust them,” he said, referring to the other four council members — former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas CEO Hassan Merican and prominent economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram.
Kuok, known as Malaysia’s “Sugar King”, is one of five individuals appointed by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to advise the government on economic and financial matters.
Their priorities include reintroducing the sales and services tax after effectively scrapping the 6% goods and services tax, reinstating fuel subsidies, reviewing large-scale government projects and raising minimum wages.
Meanwhile, Daim said today’s council meeting revolved around fuel subsidies.
On the issue of tolls, he said that would be discussed next week. In its election manifesto, PH had vowed to abolish toll collection.
He also said the issue of Malaysia’s RM1 trillion debt was not discussed.
Throughout the day, representatives from the Employees Provident Fund, Khazanah Nasional and various government departments and agencies, including Customs director-general T Subromaniam, attended meetings with the council.
However, all of them declined to give comments.
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