The Malaysianist

The Malaysianist

Share this post

The Malaysianist
The Malaysianist
EPF’s MBSB raises eyebrows with asset sale

EPF’s MBSB raises eyebrows with asset sale

Small deal, big questions.

Jul 11, 2025
∙ Paid
2

Share this post

The Malaysianist
The Malaysianist
EPF’s MBSB raises eyebrows with asset sale
2
Share

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 yesterday. He is older than sliced bread. I kid you not. Look it up.

I was also on radio station BFM last evening to talk about Selangor’s parking concessionaire fiasco. A left hand-right hand case riddled with transparency and accountability problems. My segment starts around 18:05.

There’s so much going on in Malaysia right now. It’s terribly noisy. Concerns over judicial interference. Concerns over the state of the economy under an erratic Trump presidency. Concerns over paying rent for a posh headquarters — if you are the opposition Perikatan Nasional.

The one taking top spot now, of course, is the US president Donald Trump’s choice for his ambassador to Malaysia — Australian-born right-winger and “Twitter troll” Nick Adams.

Rolling Stone magazine headlined that moment as “Trump taps Hooters-obsessed MAGA1 diehard to be an ambassador”. The US Senate will still need to green light Adams2.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in town yesterday and met Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim. Wonder whether our PM gave a strong word to Rubio over Adams…

The PM, however, seems more desperate to get Trump to attend the Asean and East Asia summits in October.

Today’s brief was supposed to be meatier but I couldn’t quite complete the juiciest bit on one of our favourite politically exposed persons.

A fact-checking exercise delayed it but, no worries, I should have that prepped for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, today’s shortie puts a spotlight on EPF-owned MBSB’s sale of its asset management arm.

You’re reading a paid version of The Malaysianist, a newsletter on money and power by writer and journalist Emmanuel Samarathisa.

I run monthly and annual subscriptions. There’s also the atas or founding member tier where you get all the perks of an annual subscription and more, such as an annual or founder’s report and insight into how this little corner of the internet fared throughout the year.

Group subscriptions are on the table, if you’re mulling over purchases for your organisation or for family members.

Get 20% off a group subscription


This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 The Malaysianist
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share