{
  "id": 15718539,
  "title": "Anwar cites cases of corporate owners forced to sell firms over political interference",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/anwar-cites-cases-of-corporate-owners-forced-to-sell-firms-over",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T08:03:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/20/anwar-cites-cases-of-corporate-owners-forced-to-sell-firms-over-political-interference/239871"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed the government inherited an opaque system that allowed corporate crime and market manipulation to persist unchecked for years. He highlighted a lack of enforcement in major cases involving billions of ringgit in losses, including corporate takeovers and bank transactions allegedly influenced by political interference.\n\nAnwar alleged that numerous instances of corporate mafia activities were connected to a former finance minister who held considerable influence and financial resources. He referred to the forced sale of major companies like Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd (MPHB) to a group led by Datuk Seri Akbar Khan, citing the involvement of the former minister.\n\nThe Prime Minister also pointed out other cases that demonstrated the necessity for transparent enforcement by agencies such as Bank Negara Malaysia, the Securities Commission (SC), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and the police. He mentioned how Tan Sri Rashid Hussain was compelled to relinquish his stake in RHB Bank, which later came under the control of individuals linked to the former finance minister. Phileo Allied Bank, once a fast-growing institution, was also taken over due to the minister's interests in Langkah Bahagia Sdn Bhd, which acquired a stake in the bank.\n\nAnwar reported that the SC had significantly increased enforcement actions in corporate crime cases since 2023, compared to earlier years.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — The government inherited a system lacking transparency, allowing corporate crimes and...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Police freeze RM4.3b, seize RM1b in assets in crackdown on corporate mafia, says Anwar",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/police-freeze-rm4-3b-seize-rm1b-in-assets-in-crackdown-on-corporate",
        "published": "2026-10-20T04:08:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Anwar: No one will be protected in corporate mafia probe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/anwar-no-one-will-be-protected-in-corporate-mafia-probe",
        "published": "2026-10-20T04:19:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Malaysia’s Anwar promises ‘full disclosure’ as ‘corporate mafia’ scandal grows",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/malaysias-anwar-promises-full-disclosure-as-corporate-mafia-scandal",
        "published": "2026-10-20T06:31:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "Anwar challenges Rafizi over corporate crime, asks why he stayed silent as minister",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/anwar-challenges-rafizi-over-corporate-crime-asks-why-he-stayed",
        "published": "2026-10-20T06:42:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Govt inherited system that let corporate crimes go largely unchecked, says Anwar",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/govt-inherited-system-that-let-corporate-crimes-go-largely-unchecked-15718781",
        "published": "2026-10-20T06:58:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}