Azmin: Only professionals will run GLCs, not politicians

KUALA LUMPUR: Politicians will no longer have a place on the boards of government-linked companies (GLC), and only professionals will be entrusted to will run them, says Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

"No more politicians should be appointed on any board, we want the professionals to run our GLCs," said the Economic Affairs Minister.

"At the same time we want the pay or allowances of these board members to be reasonable. We cannot allow a high pay for someone who runs a GLC which belongs to the government," he said at the Parliament lobby on Thursday (Oct 25).

Azmin also said that the government had reviewed the membership of most GLC boards, citing Lembaga Tabung Haji and Felda as examples.

Azmin's remarks came in light of recent reports that former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah earned a total of RM2.94mil between January 2011 until June this year, excluding allowances from being a board member of 23 companies under the Finance Ministry.