Zeti: I will certainly remain governor until April

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz has hinted that she will not be staying on after her term expires in April next year.

“I certainly will remain in office until my term ends – that’s a five-year term and it ends next year.

“In total, I would have served 35 years in Bank Negara and by then, I would have done most of what I set out to do,” Zeti said at a two-hour press conference here yesterday.

Zeti, who has been the central bank governor the last 15 years, said Bank Negara was an institution that would move on to greater heights.

Asked on her possible successor, she said the central bank had in place five levels of succession.

Dismissing recent rumours about her health, Zeti, who will turn 68 later this month, said she had been given a clean bill of health by her doctor.

“Before I travelled to the US for a pre-scheduled meeting, I already had a cough and the long-distance travel wasn’t entirely good for that.

“I arrived home the day before yesterday and there is some still lingering, especially if I talk too much.

“I was told by my doctor that my heart is very strong. I was also told my arteries are very clean,” she said to laughter from the floor.

“I’ve taken many examinations and they couldn’t find anything, yet,” she said.

Zeti said that at the time rumours started circulating about her being ill, she was busy addressing a business luncheon.

Once retired, Zeti said she might write a book.