CLAIM:
Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) is PRECISELY the mechanism that will enable government to regain control over monopolies, e.g. electricity and water, because it allows the government to more easily purchase equity (ownership), such as shares of power companies and water utilities. It’s in the current version of the bill. We all agree that we have to dismantle the oligarchy, and the Maharlika Investment Fund has the potential to do exactly that. (Thinking Pinoy, Facebook, 07 December 2022)

RATING: FALSE

FACT CHECK:

Ang pagbibigay sa MIF ng kapangyarihang magkamal ng equity sa malalaki at sensitibong kumpanya ay hindi garantiya na matatanggal nito ang oligarkiya sa bansa. Sa kabaliktaran, maaari pa ngang maging mekanismo ang ganitong probisyon upang magamit ang kaban ng bayan at rekurso ng SSS at GSIS upang palaguin ang kita ng mga oligarkong papaboran ng pamahalaan.

Isang halimbawa nito ang nangyari sa Malaysia, kung saan nakinabang sa pandarambong ang dating punong ministrong si Najib Razak sa tulong ng pakikipagsabwatan sa negosyanteng si Jho Low, na mula sa pamilya ng prominenteng oligarkong namuhunan sa pagmimina at serbisyong pananalapi.

Mga Batis na ginamit sa fact-check:

• “Low family fortune first built on iron-ore mining.” (2014, November 1). The Star, https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2014/11/01/low-family-fortune-first-built-on-ironore-mining/
• Quah, Danny. (2015, August 5). “Going Rogue: Malaysia and the 1MDB Scandal.” The Diplomat, https://thediplomat.com/2015/08/going-rogue-malaysia-and-the-1mdb-scandal/