Lawyer Azhar new EC chairman

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Azhar Azizan is the new chairman of the Election Commission (EC), Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar announced yesterday.

He takes over from Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah whose term of service ended on July 1.

Ismail said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, had consented to the appointment.

Azhar, 56, who holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Malaya and a Master of Laws from King's College, University of London, is an advocate and solicitor with Messrs Azhar & Goh and has expertise in electoral laws, he said.

“Azhar launched his career in law in 1987 at Allen & Gledhill. From 1992, he served as a lawyer at Messrs KH Koh, Azhar & Koh,” he said.

Ismail said Azhar had also served at several leading legal firms, including Messrs Khaw & Hussein; Messrs TH Su & Partners; Messrs Lamin & Co; Messrs Hisham Sobri & Kadir; Messrs Shafee & Co and Messrs Cheang & Ariff.

“I am confident that his qualifications and experience can enable him to discharge his duties and responsibilities well as the EC chairman as stipulated in the Federal Constitution,” he said. - Bernama

AGC hosts tri-nation meeting on 1MDB probes

KUALA LUMPUR: Prosecutors, experts in asset acquisition and investigators from the United States, Singapore and Switzerland held a meeting recently in Putrajaya on the investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) strategic investment company, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said yesterday. The meeting was hosted by the AGC. “We are pleased to report that the successful meeting among the prosecutors, experts on asset recovery and investigators from the three countries affected by the massive 1MDB frauds was organised by the chambers”.