More than a dozen purged in Pakatan's first 50 days

Sheridan Mahavera Sheridan Mahavera, Nicholas Chin Updated 5 years ago · Published on 3 Jul 2018 7:00AM · 9 Comments

Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah is among those given their marching orders. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 3, 2018.

WITHIN 50 days of Pakatan Harapan taking power, more than a dozen heads of key government institutions, agencies and corporations have been removed as the new administration seeks a clean break with the past.

More are set to follow as it is learnt the Pakatan Harapan government has given itself until September 16 to remove individuals deemed loyal to the ousted Barisan Nasional administration.

Senior PH leader Lim Kit Siang has cautioned against turning the exercise into a witch-hunt as some of those serving in the previous administration had also been victims.

Most of these agency chiefs and corporate captains voluntarily relinquished their positions. Others left when their contracts expired.

A handful, such as attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali, Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, were given their marching orders.

Also soon to go are Chief Justice Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin whose term extensions were clouded by controversy.

The two judges have stated they will resign effective July 31. 

Some of the 13 corporate personalities known to have left so far openly campaigned for BN in the run-up to GE14.

Some appeared in a music video called “Hebatnya Negaraku” in the BN GE14 campaign. These include Telekom Malaysia Bhd CEO Mohammed Shazalli Ramly, Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd CEO Mohd Badlisham Ghazali, Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd CEO Mohamad Salim Fateh Din and Tabung Haji director Johan Abdullah. The four have either resigned or left when their contracts were not renewed.

Some of big names in the music video who are still serving are CIMB Group Holdings Bhd CEO Zafrul Aziz, Sime Darby Property Bhd managing director Amrin Awaluddin and RHB Banking Group CEO Khairussaleh Ramli.

Also featured in the video were Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd CEO Khairul Kamarudin, UEM Group Bhd CEO Izzaddin Idris and Malaysia Airlines Bhd CEO Captain Izham Ismail.

Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali said yesterday the Mahathir administration wished to ensure the GLCs were led by people with the highest levels of expertise and integrity.  

“All executives in GLCS must be those who can perform efficiently, not because of political reward,” Azmin had said after a World Bank function in Kuala Lumpur.

“This is something that has been repeatedly stressed by the prime minister – that the executives serve because (they have the) expertise, not because (the government wants to pay them) exorbitant allowances.

“This must stop,” Azmin said, referring to the much-criticised practice of the BN administration to appoint loyalists to high positions. – July 3, 2018.

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Comments

  • They supported a kleptocrat openly and should have the decency to step down immediately when UMNO lost on May 9!

    Posted 5 years ago by Power Pegaga · Reply

  • PH of course need to clean house. Its just necessary. There are some like Wahid and his supporters who believed he did no great wrong - his criticism perfectly valid. However, its clear Wahid was too entrenched in Najib's camp, he may not have done any great wrong BUT to stay he need to show he can be wrong because he did got somethings wrong. Instead he chose not to admit anything, too proud to fight for what is he says he believe in, leading to questions what he really committed to.

    Posted 5 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • One should accept an appointment base on what these leaders are capable or can delivery in their areas of past experties and help bring that entity to a new height by being there...not just have coffee (being served one I believe) and warm their chairs. Islam tells these Malay Leaders that their earnings must be HALAL and they still hang in there and more so become greedy and selfish!!!!!! Shame on you guys......

    Posted 5 years ago by Crishan Veera · Reply

  • Cleaning the house is one mamoth task but maintaining it will be another Himalayan task too. The PH should not only preaching It but also practising it throughout the whole time is what matters to the New Malaysia and to the Malaysian .

    Posted 5 years ago by Selvadurai K Nadaysen · Reply

  • Najib,
    Your very, very lame excuse has really made my (Khairul Hisham Hassan) high blood pressure "went upstairs to 8th floor". WHY?

    FIRSTLY:
    At the very least, you as the PM at that time has got a moral obligation to question yourself whether or not it was appropriate for you to receive RM2.6 Billion in your personal account. We are not even talking from legal perspective here. Even from moral perspective itself you have failed miserably. Shame on you!

    SECONDLY:
    What? Zeti has not taken appropriate action with regard to this RM2.60 Billion "donation" into your personal account ? Come on lah. Do not try to act as if you are pure holy-innocent guy here. You know exactly the real reason as to why there was a limitation of actions that could be taken by Zeti at that time. By the way, you are also deadly wrong. Bank Negara under Zeti's leadership has imposed the highest fine ever with regard to this 1MDB fiasco. ( https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/386660 AND
    http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/06/24/zeti-says-bank-negara-powerless-to-act-against-1mdb/ )

    At least Zeti has taken action within the ambit of power she was entrusted to with regard to this shamefully 1MDB scandal. Have you?

    Can you please do me a favour Najib?
    Can you please stop issuing statement which shows your stupidity?
    Can you please stop insulting the intelligence of we Malaysians?

    Nowadays, each and every time you issue a statement, I honestly want to vomit. Indeed I do.

    Posted 5 years ago by Khairul Hisham Hassan · Reply

  • This is the norm in any change of government anywhere in the world. Besides, in our case, there certainly are many deadwood political appointees who are there because of political patronage and not for their expertise.

    Posted 5 years ago by Savari CJ · Reply

  • People should read RPK's expose on this Serigala fellow.

    Posted 5 years ago by Henry Mancini Jr · Reply

  • This bunch looks very well fed. There is no such thing as a never ending party.

    Posted 5 years ago by Henry Mancini Jr · Reply

  • All these bastards should b stripped naked n investigated. Wat sort of blady upbringing these guys hav. Shame to the race n country. Go to hell n burn together with the 72 virgins.

    Posted 5 years ago by Siva Piran · Reply