Berjaya, GEN Malaysia deny talks on second Malaysia casino

Apr 26, 2024 Newsdesk Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck  

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The Edge financial news outlet reported on Friday a statement on behalf of Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan of lottery specialist Berjaya Corp Bhd, describing as “inaccurate” reports of talks on the possibility of a second casino in the country. According to previous reports, it was to be set up at Forest City, a struggling real estate development in Malaysia’s Johor state, next door to Singapore.

On Thursday Malaysia’s political leader, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, had described a Bloomberg report on the topic as “a lie” and “not true”.

The Edge cited on Friday Berjaya Corp as saying on behalf of Mr Tan: “The articles in question, titled ‘Malaysia in talks with tycoons on casino to revive US$100 billion Forest City’ (Bloomberg LP) and ‘Malaysia mulls casino at Forest City’ (The Edge Singapore), have included inaccurate information that misrepresents our supposed involvement in discussions with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim regarding the Forest City project.”

The statement added, referring to Mr Tan’s honorific title in Malaysia and his full Chinese name: “We would like to make it clear that Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun has not participated in any such discussions and refute the inaccurate claims presented in the articles.”

Lim Kok Thay of global casino group Genting had also been reported to be at a meeting on the Forest City topic.

Genting Malaysia Bhd meanwhile has said it wasn’t involved in talks about the possibility of opening a casino in Johor, the New Straits Times reported, citing a statement from the company.

“Neither the company nor Tan Sri Lim was involved in any such discussions or meetings and the claims made are untrue,” the company said in the statement.

“We would ask that all parties immediately cease the publication and dissemination of the misinformation, remove the untrue claims, and provide clarification to the public to prevent further confusion,” it added.

Genting runs what is currently Malaysia’s only casino resort, Resorts World Genting, at Genting Highlands, outside the national capital Kuala Lumpur.

Bloomberg’s Thursday report mentioned that the current ceremonial monarch of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, who is also sultan of Johor state, held more than 20 percent of the joint venture vehicle – involving Chinese real estate firm Country Garden Holdings Ltd – that is the master developer of Forest City.

(Updated at 9.50am, Apr 29)

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