THE appointment of Pakatan Harapan politicians to Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah’s (Yadim) board may be controversial, but do not break the coalition’s election manifesto on political appointments that are specific to profit-making government-linked companies (GLCs), DAP’s Syahredzan Johan said.

He said the Pakatan Harapan manifesto dealt with GLCs that had a role in making profits to benefit the country’s economy.

“Yadim might not fall under the traditional definition of a GLC, but I think that is something we can look at and people can argue about. 

“The promise (in the manifesto) talks about GLCs that have a role to play in the economy. 

“Yadim does not have a role to play in the economy. It has a role to play in the advancement of the religion but not in the economy,” the lawyer said when asked about criticism against the government over the recent appointments.

Pakatan Harapan recently came under fire from pro-Barisan Nasional supporters and general observers over recent appointments to Yadim’s board, as well as other government-linked entities.

Amanah’s Nik Omar Nik Abdul Aziz was appointed Yadim president while five other members from the same party were appointed as board members. They are Zolkharnain Abidin, Abdul Ghani Shamsuddin, Ahmad Sayuti Bashiron, Shamsul Ma’arif Ismail and Maznah Daud.

Other board members include PKR members Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Merbok MP Nor Azrina Surip, DAP’s Paloh assemblyman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali and Bersatu Cheras division chief Shamsu Adabi Mamat.

Syahredzan did not deny that the appointments were political in nature, but stressed that they did not contravene the coalition’s manifesto, where merit-based appointments are promised under the pledge to improve the governance of GLCs to be on a par with international standards.

He added that when Pakatan Harapan was the opposition, its criticism against Barisan Nasional regarding political appointments involved GLCs with economic outcomes, such as Felda and Tabung Haji.

Ultimately, he said, the individuals appointed to Yadim’s board still had to prove their worth.

“I think it is better to gain people’s confidence by making sure that whoever is appointed, at the end of the day, they do their job well,” he said. 

Political observers said recent appointments showed that Pakatan Harapan was finding out that it wasn’t all that easy to avoid its predecessor’s practice of political appointments.

“It is easier to make criticism while being the opposition than having to implement (the reforms) that they fought for,” said Awang Azman Awang Pawi, who is Associate Professor at University Malaya.

Finding non-political candidates can be hard as Pakatan Harapan would have to deal with criticism from within, from members who expect to be “rewarded”.

“(There would be criticism) especially from those who have long fought in Pakatan Harapan and would want a reward in the form of a position.”

Awang Azman added that Pakatan Harapan would have to accept that such a compromise could affect its standing in the eyes of voters, while voters should also accept that political appointments are part and parcel of a party’s survival and allow the appointees to prove themselves on the job.

Several individuals affiliated to the government have been appointed to prominent positions in GLCs recently. 

One of them is Bersatu lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla who was appointed as the chairman of Penang Regional Development Authority. 

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad’s daughter, Nurul Iman, was appointed to the Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia board. 

He stressed that his ministry was not involved in her appointment. 

Amanah Kedah deputy chairman Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi was recently announced as the chairman of Pertubuhan Peladang Kebangsaan.

Earlier this month, Rural and Regional Development Minister Rina Harun appointed Bersatu supreme council member Sukiman Sarmani as the Universiti Teknikal Mara chairman, while fellow council member Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi was picked to chair Mara Corporation Sdn Bhd. – February 1, 2019.