Saravanan defends appointment of Zakir Naik's friend as HRDF CEO

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 15 Apr 2020 11:26AM · 9 Comments

Shahul Hameed Dawood has been appointed Human Resources Development Fund chief executive officer. – Pic from http://myeventsinternational.com, April 15, 2020.

BUSINESSMAN Shahul Hameed Dawood’s appointment as new chief executive officer of the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) will benefit the Indian community, said Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan today.

He said Shahud Hameed had the interest of Indians at heart and would not turn his back on them as HRDF CEO.

He said this to deflect criticism against his appointment of My Events International founder Shahul Hameed to the position.

Critics have pointed out that Shahul Hameed was linked to controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik.

They slammed Saravanan – who is MIC deputy president – for the appointment as the community and MIC had objected to the presence of Zakir, a Mumbai-born televangelist who is seeking refuge Malaysia after Indian authorities charged him with terrorism and money-laundering charges.

Critics of Shahul Hameed’s appointment also object as the businessman was taking a government position previously held by a non-Bumiputera.

Shahul Hameed is expected to start work next week, and will take over from the former HRDF chief executive Elanjelian Venugopal, who was an appointee of the Pakatan Harapan government.

Saravanan defended Shahul Hameed’s appointment, saying that the latter was capable of handling the job.

He also allayed fears that Shahul Hameed won’t help Indians.

“Nothing like that. Anyone who knows him will tell you that he has always helped the Indian community. He may be a Muslim by faith but by race he is a Tamil.

“And he is the grand-nephew of MIC veteran Tan Sri SOK Ubaidulla. We all know how much Ubaidulla cared for our community and MIC. This is his lineage,” he said.

He also said that MIC’s appointments to GLCs should not be seen as the monopoly of just the Tamils.

“We are a party of all Indians. There are Christians in our party, and they are also Indian Muslims. Why can’t we appoint them too as MIC’s reps in GLCs?”

When asked about Shahul Hameed’s links to Zakir, Saravanan said it was the former’s event company that had in 2016 been involved in organising Zakir’s talks.

“As a businessman, his company was involved in organising the talks. He was not involved with Zakir personally, nor part of his religious talks.

“He had also organised other events involving people from Tamil Nadu, even bringing in movie stars and singers for shows here. How come that is not being questioned?”

The Tapah MP said people should not just criticise Shahul Hameed over his company’s organisation of Zakir’s talks, or for him being a Muslim.

“I am confident he can deliver as the HRDF CEO, and that the Indian community can benefit from him,” he said.

Saravanan removed Elanjelian from his position last month. He had also removed HRDF chairman Noor Farida Ariffin and four other board members effective April 1.

Elanjelian’s term as CEO was set to expire in July this year, while Noor Farida’s contract was supposed to end in January next year. – April 15, 2020.

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Comments

  • He said Shahud Hameed had the interest of Indians at heart and would not turn his back on them as HRDF CEO.

    I abhor this statement...HRDF is for all Malaysians

    Posted 4 years ago by Julian Nagelsmann · Reply

  • What a stupid defense, is HRDF is an indian based fund?

    Posted 4 years ago by A Subscriber · Reply

  • The Non Malays can just vote him out next round. Non Malay positions are soooo rare and limited, he wlcant even defend one. Another parasite.

    Posted 4 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • what nonsense...he is picked to ''help Indians''...this is what you get from the MIC thug??...God help Malaysians.

    Posted 4 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • tapah voters deserved what they voted for.....crook! and by the way, why focus indians only? wait for GE

    Posted 4 years ago by . . · Reply

  • BackDoor Saravanan with his thug IQ.

    Posted 4 years ago by Sam SamaSama · Reply

  • since when HRDF is to concentrate for one race?

    Posted 4 years ago by Shah ramo · Reply

  • What we need are not racist we need those who serve all Malaysian and not just Indian!

    Posted 4 years ago by CHEH Liang Mok · Reply

  • Why is HDRF being implied here as an Indian human resource fund? And by the way, anyone individual who will do business with that Zakir Naik is obviously a person of really, really dubious character. But when you are dubious yourself, you can't see it can u Mr Saravanan.

    Posted 4 years ago by Sunita petrus · Reply