MALAYSIA needs responsible financial journalism. But Malaysia also needs long-term private sector ambition, so insists resort-centric property developer Tanco Holdings Bhd.
Obviously, large infrastructure projects are never risk-free. Every transformative development begins with uncertainty.
“But what if media coverage becomes overwhelmingly adversarial before execution has a fair opportunity to unfold? Some investors worry this may unintentionally discourage bold private-sector initiatives in the future,” shared a spokesman with regard to its proposed Midport development in Port Dickson.
“This is especially sensitive when the project is tied to broader aspirations involving (i) national competitiveness; (ii) regional logistics positioning (iii) investment attraction; and (iv) Malaysia’s long-term economic reputation.”
Editor’s Note: This is a second part of a joint Focus Malaysia-Tanco initiative to explore ways and means to address concerns surrounding media scepticism that could prevent allotment of coverage space to mega projects.
The immediate challenge for journalism therefore could be to do some balancing act by “scrutinising first without prematurely dismissing”.
Let execution do the talking
Ultimately, neither supporters nor sceptics will determine Midport’s success. The project’s very execution will.
So the following scenarios beckon:
- If Tanco fails to deliver, the sceptics will be proven right; but
- If the company successfully builds meaningful infrastructure, attracts commercial activity and contributes to the economy, the project may eventually silence many critics through results rather than narratives.
Until then, the healthiest position may not be blind optimism or relentless negativity but fair, proportionate and evidence-based evaluation.
There is no doubt that Malaysia benefits most when both ambitious entrepreneurs and independent journalism operate responsibly without either being unfairly glorified or unfairly condemned.
Scepticism vs national confidence
At this stage, perhaps the most reasonable approach is for the public, investors and the media to give Tanco a fair opportunity to execute and prove its vision.
Constructive scrutiny is important but so is allowing space for genuine long-term development efforts to materialise before reaching definitive conclusions.
After all, beyond the proposed Midport project, Tanco is also attempting to develop a broader ecosystem surrounding the project – including logistics, industrial activity, tourism, marina development, supporting infrastructure and regional economic connectivity.
If successfully executed, this could create multiplier effects that extend well beyond a single port development.
It is agreeable that Malaysia should encourage responsible journalism that remains balanced, evidence-based and proportionate – not narratives that risk creating excessive fear, pessimism or distrust before projects have had the opportunity to demonstrate real outcomes.
The country benefits most when healthy accountability coexists with support for genuine private-sector ambition, innovation and nation-building efforts.
If Midport and its surrounding ecosystem succeed, the benefits may extend far beyond a single company – potentially strengthening Malaysia’s economy, international standing and future investment appeal for years to come.
At today’s (May13) mid-day market break, Tanco was up 1 sen or 0.59% to RM1.70 with 25.15 million shares traded, thus valuing the company at RM10.43 bil. – May 13, 2026
