Maszlee turns down appointment as Mara Corp adviser

Bersatu's Simpang Renggam MP, Maszlee Malik has turned down his appointment as a lead adviser to Mara Corp, the business arm of Majlis Amanah Raya (Mara).

"I take note of news linking my name with an appointment to a government agency.

"I believe any appointment is a mandate from the people and should be returned to the people.

"The people's interest should be the guiding principle and not personal gain," he said in a statement on Facebook.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Abd Latiff Ahmad had appointed several Bersatu leaders to Mara Corp, including Beaufort MP Azizah Mohd Dun who leads the entity.

Paya Rumput assemblyperson Rafiq Naizamohideen was also appointed to the Mara Corp advisory committee while Maszlee was to lead it.

However, Maszlee said his decision must be in line with the people's mandate.

"My consideration is clear, my decisions must be in line with the mandate given to me by Malaysians, particularly the supporters and people of Simpang Renggam," he said.

Maszlee said his priority now is to address the people's plight as they are badly hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"In Simpang Renggam, many families are suffering and need help.

"Therefore, I cannot accept the appointment at this time. We have not won against Covid-19," he said.

Maszlee expressed confidence that Mara can continue to help the bumiputera community and urged the agency to focus on the B40 community.

Despite being dropped as education minister by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the last government, Maszlee has remained by the Bersatu chairperson's side.

Bersatu is presently split between Mahathir's faction and party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Harapan government collapsed in late February after Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of the coalition and joined forces with a group of PKR defectors led by former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

Together with BN, PAS, GPS and other minor parties, they formed the new Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government.

Mahathir had indicated he plans to wrest back control of the party in the next Bersatu election and withdraw the party from the PN government.

- Mkini