KUALA LUMPUR: There will be changes to chairmanship of some of Malaysia’s largest government-linked companies (GLCs) such as Petroliam Nasional Bhd and Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) in the next few weeks, sources said.
Politicians Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid are touted for the position at Petronas and TM respectively.
Two other politicians, Tan Sri Noh Omar and Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, are linked to MISC Bhd and FGV Holdings as the government makes further changes to state-owned companies and federal agencies.
A government official confirmed the imminent changes.
But he said a list of some 20 names over such appointments that was circulated on WhatsApp was partially true.
“Some of them, yes. But others are still at a discussion level. And we cannot tell that if it is going to happen next week, but soon,” the source, who refused to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, told the New Straits Times.
The source said there were possibilities that Members of Parliament (MPs) without any Cabinet post would be given the opportunities to fill up the posts at the GLCs, government-linked investment companies (GLICs) and federal agencies.
GLCs and GLICs contacted by NST Business said they were not aware of the “soon-to-be-made announcement”, adding that such appointments would be announced by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh, better known as Ku Li, is no stranger to Petronas.
He was the national oil company’s founding chairman and chief executive officer when then prime minister Tun Abdul Razak appointed him in September 1974.
Ku Li was the Finance Minister from 1976 to 1984 as well as International Trade and Industry Minister from 1984 till 1987.
Petronas’ current chairman is Datuk Ahmad Nizam Salleh, who was appointed in August 2018.
The chairmanship at TM, meanwhile, is currently held by Rosli Man, former chief executive officer (CEO) of Celcom (M) Bhd when it was owned by Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli in the 1990s.
The viralled list, among others, named MP Beaufort Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun to be Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh for Federal Land Development Authority, Datuk Seri Rohani Karim for Bernas, dan Datuk Hasbullah Osman for Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd.
Also identified were Sulaman assemblyman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor allegedly to be appointed as Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman, Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Shabudin Yahaya to be heading to Felcra Bhd, and MP Parit Datuk Nizar Zakaria to the Malaysian Rubber Board.
The new administration has set off a wave of changes in the past few weeks.
This included the removals of figure heads at Mara, resignations at Tekun Nasional and Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) and appointment of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as chairman of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
Other influential names who have vacated their positions included Bank Rakyat chairman Datuk Noripah Kamso, whose contract ended in early March, and KRI chairman Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhi.
Changes have also been seen at Social Security Organisation (Socso) and Affin Bank Bhd.
Last week, Allianz Malaysia Bhd confirmed that its CEO Zakri Khir had resigned as Socso chairman with immediate effect.
Zakri was appointed chairman of Socso by the Council of Eminent Persons under the previous Pakatan Harapan administration on October 8, 2018.
Wan Razly Abdullah Wan Ali, meanwhile, was appointed the new CEO of Affin Bank, replacing Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Jamil who completed his contract on March 31.