Epstein link sparks row over Malaysian port appointment

Civil society groups have called on Malaysian billionaire tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary to revoke the appointment of Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem as executive chairman of logistics giant MMC Port Holdings due to his alleged ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. 

Reuters reported exclusively last week that Emirati Bin Sulayem was set to take control of Malaysia's largest port operator, five months after his resignation from Dubai's DP World amid scrutiny over his email exchanges with financier Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019.

MMC Port, which operates seven ports along the Malacca Strait - one of the world's busiest shipping lanes - is a unit of MMC Corporation, in which Syed Mohktar holds a controlling stake. Syed Mokhtar and the company have not publicly commented on the Reuters report. 

A joint statement from 31 organisations dated July 20 called on Syed Mokhtar to rescind Bin Sulayem's appointment.

It cited geopolitical and financial risks, noting that major financial entities such as the UK development finance agency and Canada's second-largest pension fund had suspended new investments with DP World over Bin Sulayem's alleged links to Epstein.

"It is fair to say that Mr bin Sulayem has earned considerable notoriety from the disclosure of the Epstein files. If he was not deemed indispensable to DP World, there is hardly any reason why he should be considered indispensable to MMC Ports," it said. 

MMC Corp did not respond to requests for comment. Bin Sulayem has not publicly commented on the email exchanges with Epstein and could not be reached for comment. 

His appointment to MMC Port triggered outrage on social media, with many users questioning his suitability.  

Malaysia's transport minister said in response last week that the government cannot interfere in the management of private firms, stating that it can only regulate the shareholding structures of companies operating concessions and strategic national assets.