KUALA LUMPUR – Barely 10 months into the job, Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid purportedly resigned as chairman of the board of MRT Corp Sdn Bhd, reported The Edge, quoting a source.
His resignation came about after having “a difference of opinion” over the MRT3 project.
“Azhar is leaving as he is not in agreement on some of the key terms of the MRT3 project,” the source was quoted as saying.
However, his replacement remains a question for now.
This comes days after the cabinet agreed to implement the MRT3 Circle Line project, with priority given to local contractors, especially bumiputera.
The MRT3 project was suspended by the Pakatan Harapan administration before the new cabinet under the leadership of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin agreed to resume the project last year.
Azhar’s appointment as MRT Corp chairman was effective May 11 and marked his return to the Finance Ministry-owned company that he once helmed as its first chief executive officer from 2011 to 2014.
Prior to his appointment, Azhar was FGV Holdings Bhd chairman from 2017 to April 2021, where he helped the beleaguered listed planter turnaround its business. Other corporate posts he held include MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd chairman and Malakoff Corporation Bhd managing director.
MRT Corp reported a loss of RM8.94 billion for its financial year ended December 31, 2020, an increase from RM7.3 billion a year before. In the same FY, MRT Corp reported accumulated losses of RM52.98 billion.
MRT1, known as the Sg Buloh-Kajang Line, was fully operational in July 2017 while MRT2 (Putrajaya Line) is expected to open next year. – The Vibes, March 9, 2022
