KUALA LUMPUR – A coalition of civil society organisations has urged Malaysian billionaire tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary to withdraw the appointment of Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem as executive chairman of logistics giant MMC Port Holdings Bhd, citing concerns over his alleged links to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Reuters reported last week that Sultan Ahmed, an Emirati businessman, was set to take control of Malaysia’s largest port operator, five months after resigning from global logistics company DP World following scrutiny over his email exchanges with Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019.
MMC Ports, which operates seven terminals along the Malacca Strait — one of the world’s busiest shipping routes — is a subsidiary of MMC Corporation Bhd, in which Syed Mokhtar holds a controlling stake. Neither Syed Mokhtar nor MMC Corporation has publicly commented on the Reuters report.
In a joint statement dated July 20, 31 organisations called on Syed Mokhtar to rescind Sultan Ahmed’s appointment, citing concerns over potential reputational, financial and geopolitical risks.
The groups noted that several major financial institutions, including the United Kingdom’s development finance agency and Canada’s second-largest pension fund, had suspended new investments with DP World following scrutiny over Sultan Ahmed’s alleged association with 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,” the statement said.
MMC Corporation did not respond to requests for comment, while Sultan Ahmed has not publicly addressed the email exchanges with Epstein and could not be reached for comment.
The appointment has triggered criticism on social media, with many questioning his suitability to lead a company responsible for operating key national infrastructure.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said last week that the government could not interfere in the management of private companies, adding that its role was limited to regulating the ownership structures of firms operating concessions and strategic national assets.
The open letter was backed by 31 organisations, including BDS Malaysia, Sekretariat Solidariti Palestin, the Kadazan Dusun Murut Muslim Organisation of Malaysia (KDMRS Muslim), Citizens International, CENTHRA Malaysia, Mahabbah Malaysia, Pertubuhan Mawaddah Malaysia, MANDIRI, GEGAR, HALUAN, MWCQP, Pertubuhan Intelektual Perlis, Pertubuhan Agenda Wanita Malaysia (AGENDA) and MACSA.
Other signatories included Dunia Palestin Network, MyCARE, Malaysian Protest 4 Palestine (MP4P), Palestine Solidarity Penang (PSP), Viva Palestina Malaysia, Ban War Criminals, ACCIN, ALIRAN, Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia, the Association of Former Professors of Universiti Malaya (PMPUM), Malaysian Academic Movement (GERAK), Gerakan Solidariti Pembebasan Palestin (GSPP), Yayasan Amal Malaysia, Palestine Centre of Excellence (PACE), Malaysian Islamic Organisations Consultative Council (Mapim) and the International Union of Muslim Scholars (KUMS).
The coalition said Sultan Ahmed’s appointment should be reversed following reports that he had stepped down as chairman and chief executive officer of DP World after allegations emerged regarding his links to Epstein.
“Besides Sultan Ahmed’s connection to the Epstein files, the appointment is also unacceptable due to several factors, including a sudden leadership change without explanation and concerns over geopolitical and national security issues.
“Sultan Ahmed was forced to step down as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World in February after the United States Department of Justice released unredacted documents that allegedly contained thousands of email communications between him and Jeffrey Epstein,” the coalition said in an open letter on Monday, as quoted by Sinar Harian.
The groups also questioned the sudden change in leadership at MMC Ports after the company’s Malaysian group chief executive officer was replaced on July 12 without any official explanation or announcement of a permanent successor.
They further raised concerns over foreign control of critical infrastructure, noting that MMC Ports operates seven major terminals along the Malacca Strait, which is among the world’s most important shipping lanes and oil transit routes.
“Placing direct control of the country’s strategic infrastructure in the hands of a foreign national overshadowed by an international scandal and previously linked to an individual suspected of having connections with Mossad is not in the country’s long-term interests,” the NGOs said.
The coalition urged MMC Corporation and Syed Mokhtar to reconsider the appointment, saying the decision should prioritise Malaysia’s national interests and strategic security. – July 22, 2026