Wahid: I’m most effective in corporate sector

KUALA LUMPUR: Former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, in stating his reasons for not staying on as a minister, says he believes in doing his most optimum by not losing his value-add.

He said his value-add was by being in the corporate sector where he was most effective and able to contribute more.

“Apart from my original understanding, which was to serve for only one term, I was also trying to avoid the possibility of becoming too comfortable as a minister,” said Wahid at a luncheon talk, here, yesterday.

“My wife was also very clear when she said she did not want me to be a politician because the moment I become one, we will lose our private space in life.

“The danger of still being in the government when it comes to general elections, especially the 14th general election, there is the possibility of (me) running for it.

“That is the risk that we wouldn’t want to take,” said Wahid, who spent three years as a minister.

“I do believe in the optimality of resources and I can do a lot more in the corporate sector and at PNB. I was able to do my optimum role in PNB as it is also very familiar to me having part in it before — in Amanah Capital Group and Maybank.

Wahid said he was still able to contribute to the national agenda by serving as a member of Economic Council, the National Economic Council and Bumiputera Economic Council.

More recently, he was appointed as chairman of the Blue Ocean Corporate Council under the National Blue Ocean Strategy.

I do believe in the optimality of resources and I can do a lot more in the corporate sector and at PNB.

ABDUl WAHID OMAR Permodalan Nasional Bhd chairman