Nurul Izzah accepts invitation to co-head position at secretariat supporting Finance Ministry

PETALING JAYA: Nurul Izzah Anwar has accepted an invitation to co-head a secretariat that supports the operations of the Advisory Committee to the Finance Minister, says committee chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Merican.

"A secretariat to support the operations of the Advisory Committee has been formed and is located at the Petronas Twin Towers," he said in a statement on Sunday (Feb 12).

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Mohd Hassan had invited Nurul Izzah to co- head the secretariat together with Khairil Anuar Ramli and the invitation was made in his capacity as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee reports directly to the Finance Minister, and would meet as frequently as possible depending on requirement.

The committee would also advise the Finance Minister on matters related to subsidies, including reviewing and restructuring existing subsidies and the provision of more holistic social protection.

It also advises the Finance Minister on matters related to Government Linked Companies (GLCs), including determining their relevance in the current context and consolidating them where appropriate as well as national debt and good governance.

The committee had its first meeting chaired by Mohd Hassan on Friday (Feb 10).

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It was also attended by the other members of the Advisory Committee namely Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi, Chairman of Sarawak Energy Berhad; Datuk Ahmad Fuad Md Ali, Executive Chairman of FPSO Ventures Sdn Bhd; Datuk Dr Rajah Rasiah, Professor of Economics at the Asia Europe Institute, University Malaya; and Dr Yeah Kim Leng, Professor of Economics at Sunway University Business School.

Meanwhile, the former Permatang Pauh MP said she had accepted the invitation and that she would no longer serve as the senior adviser on economics and finance to her father, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"The Chair of the Advisory Committee to the Finance Minister, Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican, together with the other esteemed members, have invited me to co-head the secretariat to support their work for the nation. It is an invitation that I humbly accept," she said.

"With this new role, I will no longer serve as senior advisor on economics and finance to the Prime Minister.

"It is an honour to be able to contribute and support efforts to chart a better future for Malaysia. I thank the Prime Minister for the trust he placed in me," she added.