KUALA LUMPUR – Prasarana Malaysia Bhd has terminated the service of Muhammad Nizam Alias, with its chief operations officer Datin Norlia Noah taking over as acting president and group chief executive officer effective February 23.
In making the announcement, Prasarana chairman Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said he is confident Norlia will be able to carry the company forward with her 25 years’ experience in the rail industry.
Tajuddin said Nizam’s contract was terminated on February 22 after giving fair and serious consideration on the matter, but did not elaborate on specific reasons.
“The board of directors met about three times, and finally made the decision. But I don’t want to make the issue any bigger. All I can say is the board already decided that his service must be terminated,” he said in a press conference here today.
Asked if it was related to alleged insubordination and if the matter had been resolved, Tajuddin said Prasarana has handled the issue fairly.
The Vibes had, citing sources, reported that Nizam had been suspended beginning December last year, with sources claiming that it was due to a testy relationship at the leadership level since Tajuddin, also Pasir Salak MP and Umno elections director, took over the helm as non-executive chairman.
Despite the suspension, Prasarana continued to pay Nizam’s salary over the last three months, Tajuddin said.
On Norlia’s appointment, Tajuddin said her first task is to ensure the national public transport operator recovers from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw its revenue plunge more than 70% over the last year.
He also announced the appointment of former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and former Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali as its directors, effective February 15.
On MACC’s recent investigation into Prasarana over graft claims, Tajuddin said he had given his statement to the anti-graft body, but did not elaborate.
“Someone made an allegation against Prasarana, so it it MACC’s duty to probe the matter. But I want to inform that the related quarters have conducted their investigation from all angles.”
On January 4, it was reported that MACC had commenced a probe into Prasarana after Tajuddin “sought the termination of the contractors of the transport-oriented development at the Dang Wangi light rail transit station, with Prasarana looking to play a more prominent role in the project and eventually move its office to the new development”.
Meanwhile, Norlia said Prasarana is expecting ridership to increase to 75% by the end of the year.
At the moment, she said ridership across all its rail and bus services is only around 40%, due to the pandemic. – The Vibes, March 9, 2021
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