the missing context is that the previous PM greenlighted projects from China that were v likely greenlighted because of kickbacks to him and his retinue rather

the missing context is that the previous PM greenlighted projects from China that were v likely greenlighted because of kickbacks to him and his retinue rather than because of the merit and profitability to the country. china, among other things, was simply one of many bogeymen attacked in the election campaign leading up to BN's defeat. mahathir knows better than to turn down good investment money, but the general view of the previous adminstration was that a lot of money was invested in malaysia only to exclusively benefit the chinese.