CEP meetings with stakeholders put on hold, says Zeti

The former central bank governor says the council is in the midst of preparing a full report.

CEP member Zeti Akhtar Aziz says only the secretariat will be able to say when the report will be ready.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) meetings with stakeholders have been put on hold for now, with the deadline for the advisory body to complete its task just around the corner.

Former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who is one of the CEP members, said the council was in the midst of preparing the full report.

“The 100 days is almost up, in another two weeks,” she said after the CEP meeting today at Ilham Tower, here.

When asked about the timeframe for the report to be ready, she said only the secretariat would know.

The CEP was formed on May 12 by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to act as an advisory body on economic, financial and other matters.

It comprises five members including Zeti, with the others being Daim Zainuddin, Robert Kuok, Hassan Marican and Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

The last day for the CEP is expected to be Aug 22.

Meanwhile, Zeti, who is also Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) group chairman, noted that the investment institution was parked under Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputera (YPB) and she was unaware if it would come under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

According to recent news reports, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and PNB would be placed under the PMO under the new government structure, and not the Economic Affairs Ministry.

Zeti also said the PNB management and herself would jointly meet the media soon to respond to questions regarding its direction. -FMT