Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Khazanah Nasional Bhd is no longer the country’s largest sovereign wealth fund. But as Malaysia’s strategic investment arm, it is expected to do more to help the nation rebound stronger and close gaps worsened by Covid-19 while delivering decent dividends to the government.

In his first interview as Khazanah's managing director, Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said the mandate never really changed, though the focus may differ during different phases of development.

On top of the recently announced Dana Impak — which would see RM6 billion invested over five years on catalytic investments to complement the country’s strategic development goals — Khazanah is still expected to pay decent dividends to the government. Dividends are still pencilled in at RM1 billion in Budget 2022, the same as in Budget 2021.

To be able to continue dividend payments sustainably and raise the amount over time, Khazanah also needs to ensure that its portfolio delivers enough commercial returns year after year. This is while shouldering strategic assets like the country’s national carrier, which it nationalised in 2014. Even though Malaysia Airlines Bhd, which said it had turned cash flow positive in October and November last year, may well be on track to break even in 2023, operating conditions remain challenging.

With so many demands on Khazanah, what can it realistically deliver? Is Khazanah expected to come up with RM3 billion to fund pandemic-hit companies?

To know what the new managing director has to say about plans and changes that may happen at Khazanah's investee companies and its new mantra "Advancing Malaysia", read our cover story for the coming week by picking up a copy at news stands.

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