KUALA LUMPUR – Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is expected to see changes at its helm, with former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and Malaysia Airlines Bhd chief transformation officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah being nominated as non-executive chairman and chief executive, respectively, of the national public transport operator, people familiar with the matter told The Vibes.
A source said Abu Kassim, who is already a Prasarana board member, seems to be a better candidate to succeed Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who was sacked over his conduct during a press conference on a collision between two light rail transit trains last month.
The accident left six passengers in intensive care, with more than 100 sustaining either serious or light injuries.
Azharuddin, on the other hand, is one of the three names considered for CEO, said the source.
“The other two are former Prasarana chiefs Datuk (Seri) Shahril Mokhtar and Muhammad Nizam Alias.”
It is understood that the board deliberated on these names on June 16, but matters are still fluid as they need the approval of Prasarana’s ultimate shareholder, the Finance Ministry.
Abu Kassim is understood to be reluctant to take up the post of chairman.
The company has been without a CEO following Nizam’s controversial removal early this year. He is believed to have had issues with Tajuddin’s interference in Prasarana’s management.
Datin Norlia Noah, who was chief operations officer, is now Prasarana’s acting president and group CEO.
Other problems that occurred under Tajuddin’s watch include payments to LRT3 contractors after the heads of 17 companies signed a letter to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the relevant ministries, saying they were owed RM700 million and Prasarana had not paid them since July.
MACC also moved to investigate allegations of abuse of power and submitted a probe paper to the Attorney-General’s Chambers in April.
The Vibes reported that Tajuddin, who is also Pasir Salak MP and Umno elections director, had been called in by MACC to record his statement, and by police for flouting Covid-19 standard operating procedures during the LRT crash press conference.
Prasarana maintains and operates Malaysia’s two LRT networks – the Kelana Jaya and Ampang-Sri Petaling lines – as well as the KL Monorail, Sunway bus rapid transit line, and bus services in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuantan and Kamunting. It is also the operator of the mass rapid transit service in the Klang Valley.
The group has been bleeding red since 2014. According to its latest financial results ended December 31 last year, Prasarana registered a loss of RM3.61 billion on the back of RM842.09 million in revenue. Its total liabilities for the year stood at RM35 billion compared to total assets of RM1.29 billion.
External auditor Ernst & Young PLT, in Prasarana’s 2019 annual report, said as liabilities were in excess of assets, “these conditions indicate the existence of material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt on the group’s and the company’s ability to continue, therefore, the group and the company may be unable to realise their assets and discharge their liabilities in the normal course of business”. – The Vibes, June 21, 2021
