KUALA LUMPUR: Following news that the government is replacing Finance Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Asri Hamidin, all eyes are now on the three deputy secretaries-general.
Market observers are not ruling out the possibility of an outsider replacing Asri.
"If it's an outsider, it may be someone from PKR," an observer told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Asri's three deputies are Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, who is in charge of policy, Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin, who is in charge of investment, and Datin Rashidah Mohd Sies, who is in charge of management.
The observer said of the three, Johan is not likely to get the post as he is said to have been brought into the ministry by former finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had made a passing remark about appointing a new secretary-general for the Finance Ministry during a press conference after clocking in as finance minister on Tuesday.
Anwar did not specifically say that Asri, who was not at the press conference, would be replaced.