ELECTION Commission chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah will retire early after his term of service was cut short.

A statement released to the media this evening said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V has given his consent for Hashim’s tenure to end early, which will take effect on July 1.

“The consent was given on June 7, and the Prime Minister’s Office was informed of the decision on June 11.”

Hashim’s tenure was originally slated to end in August 2020.

Sources in the know said the 64-year-old had expressed readiness to forgo the post days after Pakatan Harapan came into power on May 9.

The sources were tight-lipped on the candidate to replace Hashim.

Hashim became the subject of criticism for allegedly helping the previous government in its efforts to win the 14th general election, an accusation which he denies.

Prior to his current post, Hashim was EC deputy chairman.

He joined the commission in 2014 and was appointed as deputy chairman before taking the No. 1 post on January 24, 2016.

He took over from Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, whose term of office expired when he turned 66 in accordance with Clause 3, Article 114 of the federal constitution.

Hashim, who was born in Kota Baru on October 8, 1954, holds a master’s degree in political science from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

He began his career in the civil service on April 2, 1980, as an administrative officer with Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

He last held a government post as secretary-general of the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry. – June 13, 2018.