Robert Kuok: Trust the CEP, they are excellent people

KUALA LUMPUR: Tycoon Robert Kuok (pic) has urged Malaysians to trust the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP).

“It consists of very fine Malaysians. I happen to be living in Hong Kong so I don’t attend [the meetings] too often," he told reporters after his first meeting with CEP.

"But Tun Daim, Hassan Merican, Zeti and Jomo, they are excellent people, trust them, trust them,” he said, referring to CEP members - former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas CEO Tan Sri Hassan Marican and renowned economist Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

On his view about the new government, he said, “all of us wish our country well and we hope the people are taken care of.”

“I am here on the invitation of PM and Daim,” he said, responding to a question on his role in the CEP.

Kuok has returned to Malaysia to attend his first meeting with CEP on Tuesday (May 22) morning, Bernama reported.

Kuok was named as one of the five members in the new CEP, three days after Pakatan Harapan toppled the Barisan Nasional government.

The 94-year old arrived at Ilham Tower in Kuala Lumpur at 10am and stayed until about 5pm with other council members - Tun Daim Zainuddin, Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Tan Sri Hassan Marican and Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

When approached after the meeting, Daim said the discussion revolved around the fuel subsidy.

He clarified that Tun Dr Mahathir’s statement on the RM1 trillion national debt was not discussed.

Asked if any decision on the issue of highways tolls had been made, Daim simply said representatives from the UEM Group and the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) will be meeting CEP again next week.

Meanwhile, Dr Jomo said he would only speak to the press after the first 100 days were over.

The Council met Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and EPF CEO chief executive officer Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, as well as Customs Department director general Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy.

Council members also met with officers from the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism, Ministry of Finance, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Economic Planning Unit.

All officers were seen leaving the building between 1.10pm and 4.30pm.