Kedah PH chairman Mahfuz Omar said Sanusi’s claims, made in reference to the decision by Bin Zayed International LLC to pull out of the Langkasuka project in Langkawi, were assumptive and an attempt to hide his administration’s weakness in attracting foreign investors.

“This is the problem with Sanusi. There is a split between his thinking and arguments,” Mahfuz told FMT.

“Previously, he said he did not know when Bin Zayed would start (the Langkasuka project) and that he was only announcing the project.

“However, now he says there are parties trying to cause private investments in the state to fail. Which is it?”

The Amanah vice-president also said Dubai-based conglomerate BZI Group’s withdrawal from the project could be due to wariness of Kedah’s “chaotic” politics and the state government’s lack of readiness to work with the federal government.

“The investor might have lost confidence in continuing its investment. Maybe that is why it exited,” he said.

Yesterday, Sanusi alleged that there was a major plot aimed at causing private sector investments in the state to fail, including the RM40 billion Langkasuka project by BZI.

He claimed that companies committed to investing in Kedah would be pressured and restricted so that they pulled out from projects.

BZI LLC, a subsidiary of BZI Group, inked an agreement with Widad Business Group Sdn Bhd in March 2021 to form a special-purpose vehicle for the Langkasuka project called Widad BZI Sdn Bhd.

In September 2021, Sanusi said Widad BZI had paid RM4.5 million to the state as a “commitment fee” for the project.

The project was meant to be completed within the next 15 to 20 years, spanning 800ha with nearly 90% of the area located in the sea near Padang Matsirat.

However, last Friday, BZI Group managing director Sheikh Midhat Kidwai said the company was withdrawing from the project as it no longer saw any value in it.