Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo has reportedly signed the two-year contract for Al-Ishsal’s new role effective today. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Pos Malaysia chief executive Al-Ishsal Ishak has been appointed as the new chairman for the Malaysian Commission for Multimedia and Communications (MCMC), a news report has claimed.

Citing unnamed government officials as sources, Singapore daily The Straits Times said Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo signed earlier this month the two-year contract for Al-Ishsal’s new role effective today.

The report said Al-Ishsal will have until the end of this year to implement the government’s promise of cheaper prices for broadband access.

The report did not explicitly say what would happen to his position in Pos Malaysia.

Al-Ishsal, 49, only became group CEO of Pos Malaysia on February 2.

According to a January 23 company announcement filed with Bursa Malaysia by Pos Malaysia, Al-Ishsal has a Bachelor of Management (Honours) from Universiti Sains Malaysia and kicked off his career with Turnaround Managers Inc

He has worked in the digital startup industry from 1994 to 2008, and was also previously a chief digital officer at McCann Ericsson Worldgroup, CEO at Kuwait-owned Baraka Telecom, senior vice president in marketing and products at Malaysia Airlines Berhad, group head of ancillary income at AirAsia and also worked in Tune Group.

Al-Ishsal was also formerly a Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) board member and a National Technology Information Council (NITC) member, besides also previously acting as managing director for South East Asia at ECO Capacity Exchange Ltd (London).

He was also in the past a trainer and consultant for the Airbus group.

The report said Al-Ishsal will have until the end of this year to implement the government’s promised cheaper prices for broadband access.