Beware of ‘grabbing hands’ in Chinese projects, says Malaysian economist Terence Gomez

Gomez said many such projects – whether overseen by the state, private enterprise or a combination – would bring positive change and accelerate development. However, he called for tighter monitoring of projects linked to local corporations with a history of receiving political patronage.

“Greater transparency is needed,” he said. “If there’s no transparency, there will be a ‘grabbing hands’ issue. That is the key problem. But if there is improvement, the state can be a progressive institution that will nurture domestic enterprises.”