Review Criteria For Choosing GLC Chiefs - Anifah

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- A government backbencher has urged the government to review the criteria for choosing candidates to head government linked companies (GLC).
Datuk Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis) said this was to ensure that the post of chief executive officer (CEO) at GLCs were filled by those academically qualified, have wide experience to meet the challenges posed by the economic downturn.
"The government is fond of appointing young professionals to run the business conducted by GLCs. Most are in their 30s or early 40s and consider themselves financial experts. This is based on their qualification as accountants and having studied at famous world universities.
"They are handpicked by the political leadership to manage public corporations like Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Telekom Malaysia, Sime Darby and other giant companies," he said when debating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's address in Dewan Rakyat here on Wednesday.
Anifah said a review of the criteria was necessary as the professionals helming GLCs were not businessmen and thus lacked business management skills.
"This not the case for world class business leaders like Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow (Public Bank), T. Ananda Krishnan (Maxis) and Tan Sri Azman Hashim (Kumpulan Ambank).
"They have shown their skills in business management which the GLC chiefs can learn and follow."
He praised the Petronas management for making the GLC one of the most profitable oil companies in the world and was shocked to hear rumours that there could be a change of the Petronas top management.
"I hope this is not true. If there is to be a change, then it must done to the management of GLCs that are making losses," he added.
Anifah also questioned the choice of Tenaga CEO and president Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh as CEO Of The Year 2008 organised by Business Times recently due to its erratic performance last year and the first quarter (Q1) of 2009.
"They (Tenaga) were said to be doing well but posted losses of RM944 million for the quarter ending Nov last year. For the quarter ending Aug 31, 2008, Tenaga posted losses of RM282.9 million."
He said the government should not only re-evaluate its choice of candidates for the post of CEO at GLCs but also how it gave recognition for effective leadership.
"I fail to understand the criteria as to how a company led by the country's best CEO can post huge losses," he added.
Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Mohamad Shahrum Osman (BN-Lipis) proposed that the government abolish the contractual service scheme and absorb the staff into the public sector's permanent service scheme.
"I have been told that there are some 50,000 contractual staff and that 70 percent of them have wide experience," he said when debating the royal address.
He hoped that the government could absorb the contractual staff and show more commitment in helping them.
The session continues Thursday.

tunku : i agree with anifah.the government should appoint only those with qualification and vast experience to head the GLCs not through political connection. we understand that the political parties wants their people to be in the GLCs, they can put them there but not as CEOs unless they are really qualified for the post.i am surprised too on how che khalib got the ceo of the year award when tenaga is making a lost. could it be that he prevented tenaga from making bigger lost?
as for petronas hassan merican is doing great job, and please do not touch him.petronas is blessed with good top managements.
najib should change all these mess once he's in as pm.after all he had promised a BIG CHANGE.