Amid speculation, Mahdzir says yet to receive TM chair appointment letter

Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid has said he has yet to receive any letter of appointment amidst speculation he was made Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) chairperson.

The Padang Terap MP was rumoured to be considered for the post as the new Perikatan Nasional government looks to replace the heads of government-linked companies and government agencies.

“I have yet to even receive an appointment letter,” Mahdzir (photo), a former education minister, told Malaysiakini via text message today.

This comes after a posting, purportedly by a consumers' association congratulating Mahdzir on his alleged appointment, is being shared online.

TM, meanwhile, declined to comment on the speculation.

“TM would like to reiterate that it does not comment on speculation. At TM, we stand guided by our board of directors’ governance on such matters where any formal announcement will be made in due course," TM told Malaysiakini when contacted.

The New Straits Times, quoting an unnamed government official, stated that veteran politician Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, also from Umno, is being considered for the Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) top post while Mahdzir is being considered to helm TM.

The current TM chairperson is Rosli Man, who was appointed to the role in December 2018.

There has been a string of exits, via resignations and dismissals, from top GLC and government agency posts since the instalment of the new Perikatan Nasional regime.

Malaysiakini today reported that My Events International founder and president, Shahul Hameed Dawood, is the new Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) chief executive officer.

This comes after it was previously reported that Elanjelian Venugopal, along with HRDF chairperson Noor Farida Ariffin and four other board members, had their contracts prematurely terminated by the Human Resources Ministry.

Others top departures to have include Zakri Khir who resigned as Social Security Organisation (Socso) chairperson today.

Zakri was also dismissed as Mara council member last month, along with Mara chairperson Hasnita Hashim and other council members such as Jamelah Jamaluddin, Tengku  Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, Ameer Ali Mydin, Syed Tamim Ansari Syed Mohamed and Ahmad Baslan Che Kassim.

Bank Rakyat, too, had ended its contract of its chairperson Noripah Kamso, while Bakke Mohd Salleh was asked to resign as the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairperson.

Bakke is known to be among the few people within 1MDB who spoke up before it devolved into a global financial scandal. - Mkini