KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's government has sacked all chairmen and board members of government-linked companies, statutory bodies and and state-investment fund appointed politically with immediate effect,
A federal government official confirmed the decision was made in yesterday’s Cabinet meeting when contacted by Malay Mail this afternoon.
The termination was first reported by The Malaysian Insight this morning, which cited a letter by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
Matters discussed in the Cabinet are usually confidential.
The move is ostensibly a follow through of Pakatan Harapan's (PH) election campaign promise to dismantle political patronage.
Directorship and chairmanship posts were often used to buy and reward loyalty, a culture long nurtured under Barisan Nasional rule.
PH had tried to put an end to the practice when it won federal power in the 14th general election but the initiative was reversed under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when he became prime minister in 2020.
Local think tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs previously raised alarm about the increasing number of political appointees within federal statutory bodies under Muhyiddin's successor, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Over 230 such appointments were said to have been made from August 2021 to September 2022, of which 119 were new while 115 were retained from the previous government led by Muhyiddin.
The think tank noted that Umno dominated the number of politicians retained in federal statutory bodies with 52 appointments while Bersatu had 28 appointments and PAS 11.
It is unclear if the termination means political appointments would be banned completely.
Umno leaders still wield power, having been appointed ministers and deputy ministers in Anwar's coalition government despite winning just 30 seats in GE15.
