By Emmanuel Samarathisa
MORE Perikatan Nasional (PN) Members of Parliament (MPs) are expected to be offered plum jobs at key government-linked companies (GLCs) as Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin seeks to tighten his grip on power.
PN MPs had been informed about these developments and the respective agencies they would be chairman of, people familiar with the matter tell FocusM on condition of anonymity.
Some of the nominees include Umno heavyweights. They are Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim for Felda and either Besut MP Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh or Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub for Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara).
The current Felda chairman is Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh. According to an April 3 report by Singapore’s The Straits Times, he had been shown the exit at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). Bakke was appointed as Felda chairman on June 26 last year on a two-year contract.
It is also understood that, aside from statutory changes such as the prime minister being the chairman of a fund, for now it is status quo for the management teams of government-linked investment companies (GLICs) as well as regulators Bursa Malaysia and Securities Commission Malaysia.
The GLICs are sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, fund manager Permodalan Nasional Bhd, retirement pool Employees Provident Fund, pension fund Kumpulan Wang Persaraan Diperbadankan, armed forces fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and pilgrims fund Lembaga Tabung Haji.
FocusM reported earlier that Socso chairman Zakri Khir had tendered his resignation and will be replaced by Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh of Bersatu. Mara, too, had seen changes as its chairman Hasnita Hashim and her board members were sacked on March 18.
The Malaysian Reserve reported on April 3 that Dr Nungsari Radhi stepped down from Khazanah Research Institute. Nungsari is also Malaysian Aviation Commission executive chairman.
Other leadership changes include the termination of Datuk Noripah Kamso as Bank Rakyat chairman on April 3. Her contract was due to expire only in December this year.
On April 1, Malay Mail reported that Datuk Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin had been removed as Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) chairman. Her entire board was sacked, too. Noor Farida had been replaced by Datuk Nelson Renganathan, the chairman of Regent International School and former MIC Youth chief.
News portal Free Malaysia Today also reported today that Mohamad Nageeb Ahmad Abdul Wahab’s job as Felcra chairman was also hanging in the balance. – April 7, 2020
