ONCE bitten twice (or many times) shy.
Man-on-the-street Malaysians are certainly getting bolder by the day for they already know how to distinguish between potential or pledged investment from actual, realised or approved investment.
Such rudimentary economic knowledge is essential given every time Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim embarks on an official visit abroad, the “billion-ringgit sign” is bound to flash as fruits from his overseas exploits.
But as the degree of trust deficit widens in tandem with expansion in the Sales and Service Tax (SST) scope effective July 1, it seems that Malaysians at large who have grown accustomed to the “potential investment” phrase have begun to equate it as nothing more than a ‘promotional gimmick’.
As spill-over effect from the SST and electricity tariff review will prompt traders to raise prices, thus burning a bigger hole in their pockets (coupled with concerns over the RON95 subsidy pullback soon), it seems that every action of the Madani government has come under scrutiny.
This is evident with a ’ self-praise’ post on the PKR Facebook page of PMX unveiling that “Malaysia is successful of netting RM8.13 bil in potential investment in Italy” which has since garnered 15K likes, 8.3K comments and 381 shares at the time of writing.
“What has been the outcome from potential investments unveiled during previous trips? Have they been realised? Hope there is news coverage on this … Or is the so-called ‘potential’(investment) merely a DREAM,” wondered a commenter whose comment top the list with 1.3K likes.
Others snubbed PMX for either deceiving either Malaysians with his “billion” trademark every time he steps out of the country or “only bring home rude surprises (ie in the form of new taxes)”.
This is when a commenter advised PMX “not to disclose (the figures) when still in ‘potential’ stage” but only to do so once he can confirm that the investments he brought home had been realised or approved.
This led to Madani government chieftain been hailed as “Bapa Potensi” (on top of few other earlier unceremonious titles such as Cukaiman and father of national taxation) with some commenters bluntly ticking him off “for glaringly bluffing the masses”.
Opposition has a field day
Adding fuel to fire is the opposition faction with twice former premier and PMX’s former mentor-turned-nemesis Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad leading the chorus with his sarcasm, “Bapa FDI is at it again”.
“Already RM680 bil (BILLION) has come (in). You cannot see it because the factories are invisible,” teased the centenarian who is now the Perikatan Nasional (PN) adviser in a post on X.
BAPA FDI
1. Hooray.
2. Now Italy “is set to invest RM8.13 billion in Malaysia”. Great!
3. Wait for France and Brazil? More billions.
4. “Bapa FDI” is at it again.
5. Already RM680 bil. (BILLION) has come.
6. You cannot see it because the factories are…
— Dr Mahathir Mohamad (@chedetofficial) July 4, 2025
“In the meantime, (the) Mahakaya have to pay tax. Not the Mahamiskin (yet) somehow indirectly the miskin suffers. We want more visit to foreign countries so that more invisible FDI will come.”
Former Barisan Nasional (BN) strategic communication deputy director Datuk Eric See-To applauded PMX’s latest economic gallantry by listing down a slew of previously reported “potential investments” (from various overseas trips since PMX assumed premiership on Nov 24, 2022).
Referring to The Star report, pro-opposition cybertrooper jediMASTER (@jedimaster909) enlightened that what claimed to be “potential investment” is “Malaysia paying out to Italy” for the purchase of:
- 28 Leonardo AW149 helicopters
- Multi Role Support Ships (MRSS)
- Littoral Mission Ships (LMS)
- Two maritime patrol aircrafts
So Anwar & PH claiming RM8 billions deals signed in Italy!
Msia to purchase:
– 28 Leonardo AW149 Helicopters
– Multi Role Support Ships (MRSS)
– Littoral Mission Ships (LMS)
– 2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft’s
🤦♀️🤦♂️
This is Msia Paying Out to Italy! pic.twitter.com/VHgjZ9pkyb— jediMASTER (@jedimaster909) July 4, 2025
Central PAS Information Committee Research and Policy Department director Nurul Islam Mohamed Yusoff wondered if the magical RM8.13 bil was “recycled from an old investment report” of a joint venture between PETRONAS and Eni S.P.A in Pengerang, Johor in the sustainable aviation fuel sector.
“If you research, you will find news about the collaboration which was announced on July 26, 2024 whereby. PETRONAS, Eni S.P.A and Euglena Co Ltd reached an investment agreement to build a bio-refinery in Pengerang,” revealed the PAS activist in a Facebook post.
“This story has long settled but because we want to paint a beautiful picture from PMX’s latest trip, the best resort is to recycle an old story”. – July 6, 2025
