45% saham BERNAS untuk petani,nelayan dan staf BERNAS dibalun oleh kroni UMNO...

 

Syed Mokhtar ambil alih Bernas untuk keuntungan sendiri...

Anwar Ibrahim (gambar) mendakwa pengambilalihan syarikat Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) oleh Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary hanya menguntungkan taikun Melayu tersebut.

Ketua Pembangkang itu berkata, penguasaan Syed Mokhtar dalam Bernas terpesong dengan niat asalnya untuk membela nasib petani dan memastikan keperluan beras negara dipenuhi.

“Kita patut ingat niat asal penswastaan Bernas bukan sahaja untuk memastikan keperluan beras negara dipenuhi.

"Tetapi untuk memastikan petani, pengedar Bumiputera dan pekerja Bernas mendapat manfaat daripada milikan ekuiti penswastaan tersebut," katanya pada sidang media di lobi Parlimen hari ini.

Ahli Parlimen Permatang Pauh itu berkata, berbeza pada 1995 iaitu sebanyak 45 peratus pegangan Bernas menjadi milik petani dan staf Bernas, syarikat padi tersebut kini hanya dikuasai oleh seorang individu sahaja iaitu Syed Mokhtar.

"Hingga hujung 2009, milikan ini mulai dibeli seorang individu bernama Syed Mokhtar melalui syarikat-syarikat miliknya (Gandingan Bersepada Sdn Bhd dan Tradewinds) menyebabkan beliau memiliki 53.7% Bernas," katanya.

Anwar berkata, pengambilalihan oleh taikun Melayu itu sememangnya sudah dijangkakan kerana beras merupakan makanan ruji utama rakyat negara ini.

"Bernas memang sasaran pengambilalihan mana-mana individu yang sangat kaya.

“Apabila diambil kira keuntungan yang sihat, monopoli Bernas ke atas lesen AP import beras dan realiti bahawa beras adalah makanan ruji rakyat Malaysia, individu yang sangat kaya pasti mengidamkan syarikat sebegini," katanya.

Sehingga 2012, Bernas memperoleh keuntungan sebanyak RM3.6 bilion dan dijangka meningkat hingga RM3.9 bilion pada 2015, menurut ramalan hasil yang dijalankan oleh Maybank Research.

Anwar mendakwa, Syed Mokhtar seorang yang tamak sebaik sahaja kerajaan memanjangkan mandat Bernas merangkumi pengurusan bekalan beras negara dan monopoli pengimportan beras dari 11 Januari 2011 hingga 10 Januari 2021.

"Beliau (Syed Mokhtar) semakin tamak.

"Tawaran pembelian Bernas pada RM 3.70/saham dibuat pada penghujung Februari 2013 melalui syarikat-syarikat lain miliknya iaitu Perspective Lane (M) Sdn Bhd, Kelana Ventures Sdn Bhd, Seaport Terminal (Johore) Sdn Bhd dan Acara Kreatif Sdn Bhd," katanya.

Anwar kemudian mengecam Syed Mokhtar sebagai seorang "oportunis" kerana langkah pengambilalihan tersebut bertujuan menguntungkan dirinya sahaja.

"Kami kecam pengambilalihan baru-baru ini yang bersifat oportunis oleh Syed Mokhtar sebagai satu langkah mengambil alih sepenuhnya Bernas pada ketika monopoli Bernas ke atas pengimportan beras dilanjutkan hingga 2021 kerana tindakan ini akan menguntungkan satu individu tertentu, iaitu Syed Mokhtar sendiri,” katanya.- TMI

Anwar: Rice firm Bernas de-listed for a crony...

Anwar Ibrahim condemns the recent spate of opportunistic acquisitions made by Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary to take full control over Bernas while  its rice imports monopoly continue till Jan 2021.

Back in 1995, Anwar said, he had announced that 45 percent of the Bernas shares would remain in the hands of various organisations representing farmers, fishermen and the staff of Bernas.

However, he added at a press conference at the Parliament lobby today, more that 80 percent of the Bernas shares now belonged to various companies owned by government-linked business tycoon Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary.

This has taken place over the years through a series of shares being purchased by companies owned by Syed Mokhtar, with the help of investment aid from government-linked banks such as Maybank.

The de-listing of Bernas, which took place on Nov 6, only serves to feed the "greed" of the company's "masters", Anwar said.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Parliament today, Anwar said that Bernas is a very attractive acquisition target to any ultra wealthy private individual.

Anwar cited the Blackberry example on how it managed its business in the challenging environment by going private and offered its management an opportunity to focus on growing.

“In Malaysia, de-listing and taking a company private is due to an entirely different reason; which is greed.

“Bernas does not suffer from the Blackberry syndrome as the share prices is on uptrend and had trebled over the last five years and its annual net profits reached RM 3.6 billion in 2012,” he said.

Bernas which acts as the regulator and distributor for the country’s rice industry is controlled by magnate Syed Mokhtar, through Tradewinds (M) Bhd.

The PKR leader reminded that the original intent to privatise Bernas was to ensure the fulfillment of the nation’s growing rice requirement through management of the National Stockpile and the Padi Price Subsidy Scheme.

He also added that privatisation was introduced to ensure the bumiputera farmers, rice distributors and workers at Bernas benefit from the equity ownership.

Anwar also highlighted that during his tenure as Finance Minister, the Budaya Generasi Sdn Bhd consortium of companies was formed in Jan 1996.

“The consortium enabled more than half of Bernas’ equity to be owned by associations of farmers such as KADA, MADA, NAFAS, fisherman (NEKMAT) and Bernas workers,” he said.

Syed Mokhtar’s greed

In 2009, these representations were systematically bought over by Syed Mokhtar through his companies Gandingan Bersepadu Sdn Bhd and Tradewinds. This exercise was led by Maybank Investment Bank Berhad with RM 526 million; which resulted in him effectively owning 53.7% of Bernas.

“Subsequently, the government extended Bernas’ mandate to manage the country’s rice supplies and its monopoly over rice imports from 11 Jan 2011 till 10 Jan 2021; Syed Mokhtar’s greed become greater.

“An offer to acquire Bernas at RM 3.70 per share was made late Feb 2013 through his other companies namely, Perspective Lane (M) Sdn Bhd, Seaport Terminal (Johore) Sdn Bhd and Acara Kreatif Sdn Bhd. This acquisition was also advised by Maybank Investment Bank Berhad at a RM 477 million cost,” said Anwar.

Anwar also pointed out that early November this year, the Bernas board was asked to consider a voluntary de-listing from Bursa Malaysia since its public shareholding spread had dropped to 16.31%, below the required listing requirement of 25% following the crafty moves made by Syed Mokhtar.

The PKR supremo questions how one individual is allowed to gain monopolistic control over the strategic rice business when this could harm the stability of the future prices.

Secondly, he also questions why Maybank Investment Bank granted massive repeating loans to one individual through various companies.

He further questioned the government for their favourtism in extending privileges to politically connected individuals.-fmt