KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 —  Former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin has urged successful businessmen in Malaysia not to criticise the government and the country, and to be grateful instead as their achievements are due to government help.

Daim’s comments to Malay daily Utusan Malaysia were in response to YTL Corporation chief Tan Sri Francis Yeoh’s reported remarks on “crony capitalism” at a recent forum.

“These successful companies should not paint the country and the government in a negative light because they have received a lot of help,” he was quoted today as saying.

“Instead, they should be remorseful and grateful,” added Daim, who was finance minister during the Mahathir administration.

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Daim also reportedly said successful businessmen had no right to be arrogant by tearing down the government because their prosperity was due to government aid.

Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin reportedly said successful businessmen had no right to be arrogant by tearing down the government because their prosperity was due to government aid. — AFP pic
Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin reportedly said successful businessmen had no right to be arrogant by tearing down the government because their prosperity was due to government aid. — AFP pic

Tycoon Yeoh, who is YTL’s group managing director and eldest son of founder Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay, has apologised over his comments at Pemandu’s Global Malaysia Series forum last Tuesday, after Utusan Malaysia reported furore over his remarks.

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Yeoh said recently that The Malay Mail Online’s report on his remarks headlined “Crony capitalism in Malaysia has to go, son of YTL founder says” gave the wrong impression that “crony capitalism” was how things were done in Malaysia.

The Malay Mail Online had published Yeoh’s letter in which he said his views were misrepresented.

“This is far from the truth! In fact, I said I wanted to correct this misperception that has hovered around and used by various political factions for 20 years,” he said in the statement last Wednesday.

The prominent businessman had said he was responding to the misperception that the country practises “crony capitalism”.