Maszlee: Wahid’s UKM appointment based on merit
KUALA LUMPUR: The appointment of corporate figure Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar as the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) board of directors’ chairman is based on discussion and merit.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the decision to appoint the former cabinet minister was made after obtaining the approval of the ministry’s highest authority.
“In matters of appointments, we do it based on discussion and merit,” he said at the International Islamic University Malaysia’s (UIAM) 34th convocation in Gombak here yesterday.
He was commenting on a statement of the prime minister’s media adviser, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, in his blog about Wahid’s appointment.
Kadir reportedly said he was “confused” with Maszlee’s action in appointing the Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) former chairman.
“We respect the views of Kadir as an influential person... and if you (journalists) dispute (it) because he (Wahid) was from the past government, many others are also from the previous government,” said Maszlee.
On Monday, UKM said Wahid’s appointment, from Nov 1 to Oct 31, 2021, was to replace Tan Sri Dr Ibrahim Saad.
Asked on the statement by his special officer who said Maszlee had agreed to resign as UIAM president, Maszlee said the matter would be announced later.
“I do not think it’s appropriate to talk about this now. We will share when we have news.”
Earlier, a newspaper had quoted his special officer as saying that Maszlee had agreed to resign as UIAM president. However, it would not be effective immediately as some issues had yet to be resolved, including finding a replacement.