By Emmanuel Samarathisa

THE Perikatan Nasional (PN) government has terminated the services of Mara chairman Hasnita Hashim and several professionals who make up the statutory body’s council or majlis, people with knowledge of the matter tell FocusM on condition of anonymity.

Aside from Hasnita, other council members to be replaced are: Jamelah Jamaluddin, Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, Ameer Ali Mydin, Syed Tamim Ansari Syed Mohamed, Zakri Mohd Khir and Ahmad Baslan Che Kassim.

They received the notice of termination today and, according to a source, they were terminated as they had been deemed “political appointees of Pakatan Harapan.”

But one of the directors told FocusM that they were appointed after being evaluated and interviewed by the now-defunct Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) led by former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

They were part of the CEP’s plan to enlist corporates to help restructure statutory bodies such as Mara, the director said.

Among the names bandied about to replace Hasnita was former education minister Maszlee Malik. But Maszlee has denied knowledge of the matter.

Earlier today, The Malaysian Insight reported that Rural Development Minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad agreed to terminate the services of Hasnita and other directors.

According to TMI, also on the list are Mara Corp Sdn Bhd chairman Akhramshah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi and Universiti Teknikal Mara Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Sukiman Sarmani.

Abdul Latiff, who quit Umno for Bersatu, has succeeded Datuk Seri Rina Harun as head of the Rural Development Ministry. Rina is now the women and family development minister.

Mara is the largest statutory body in Malaysia with 22,000 staff. It was set up in 1966 to help the Bumiputera gain economic parity. – March 18, 2020