KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he will announce the new Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer (CEO) soon.
Speaking at a press conference after the two-day Cabinet retreat in Putrajaya today, Anwar said that the government is currently in the process of screening potential candidates.
“It will be decided soon because the process (of appointment) should be respected.
“Appointing a new person for the post would take some time because we would have to run our candidates through the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC), Inland Revenue Board Of Malaysia (IRB), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and police’s screening,” he said.
The EPF top post has been vacant since December, following the appointment of Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan as Finance Minister II in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.
Amir, the second technocrat in the Finance Ministry with a corporate background, succeeded former finance minister Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Prior to his current role, Amir served as the CEO of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) from April 2019 to February 2021 before joining EPF in March 2021.
On the water tariff adjustments for domestic users in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, taking effect on February 1, Anwar said the federal government agreed to the increase after hearing requests from all states.
“It has been explained that all states have asked us to increase it (tariff) in meetings with the menteris besar and chief ministers.
“… and there are states that have not increased it for over 40 years… they proposed it, and the federal government agreed,” Anwar said, as quoted by Bernama.
The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) announced the adjustment yesterday, which saw an average increase of 22 cents per cubic metre.
It said the tariff adjustment could no longer be postponed to avoid jeopardising the sustainability of the water services industry in the long term, thereby impacting the quality of the water supply services enjoyed by the people. – January 18, 2024