Govt ends service of political appointees at statutory bodies, GLCs

The government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday decided that political appointees at statutory bodies, finance ministry companies and government-related companies should be immediately terminated.

In a circular brief to ministry chief secretaries sighted by MalaysiaNow, Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali said the directive should be implemented without delay.

"The Cabinet members in a meeting on Dec 14 decided that the chairmen and board of director members for federal statutory bodies/finance minister companies (incorporated)/ government-related companies and government-related investment companies made through political appointments be terminated immediately," Zuki said in the circular.

The government led by Pakatan Harapan (PH) had previously ended the service of several high-ranking civil servants, namely treasury secretary-general Asri Hamidin who was placed on leave from the finance ministry, and Public Service director-general Mohd Shafiq Abdullah who was "retired". 

Shafiq later hit out at what he described as a campaign to smear his reputation, saying he would take legal action against those involved in the "continous effort" to attack him.

The decision to end the service of political appointees appears to be part of efforts to strengthen the administrative transition following PH's success in forming the government with its long-time foe Barisan Nasional and parties from Sabah and Sarawak.