This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on May 10, 2019

PUTRAJAYA: Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo (pic) will be releasing a statement today in relation to the proposed merger deal between Axiata Group Bhd and Norway’s Telenor Group.

“I’m going to come out with an official statement,” Gobind told reporters at the Pakatan Harapan government’s first anniversary event yesterday.

“[Whether] it is [a] positive or negative [news], it will depend on reading the statement from whose perspective,” said Gobind.

Asked if Axiata or Telenor had approached him about the merger, he said that he will disclose all in the statement.

“I was aware … [about the deal] but I’m getting all the facts first. There are certain things that I have to sort out first before I come out with the statement.”

“I’m not sure [if] the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission [is aware], but I was briefed. Hopefully by [tomorrow (today)] I will come out with an official statement,” he added.

Axiata on Monday announced that it was in talks with Norway’s Telenor Group to merge their operations in Asia.

Assets that have been put on the negotiating table are both parties’ mobile service operations and telco towers that spread across Asean and Southern Asia.

Axiata president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim said that the merged entity will be the largest operator in Asean, with a pro forma revenue of RM50 billion and a net profit of RM4 billion.