Amirsham gets NEAC job

(NST) Former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Amirsham Abdul Aziz has been appointed the National Economic Advisory Council chairman.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also the Finance Minister, said today Amirsham's appointement which came with ministerial status would take effect June 1.

When announcing his cabinet line-up after taking over the premiership from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 9, Najib had said the council chairman would be accorded the status while its members would comprise local and foreign economic experts.

"We will announce the members soon as we have to verify those who are really capable of taking up the jobs. We also have to determine the time they can spend in discharging their duty as council members," he told a press conference after chairing the cabinet meeting.

Between eight and 12 people would be made council members.

He said the number of foreign economists to be included in the council was unimportant.

"Their selections will very much depend on quality. To me, the number is not important. We are looking for high-powered economists and maybe, one or two sociologists, with high capabilities in managing the finance and the economy."

Najib also said the government was thinking about additional new initiatives to push up the economy further.

The council will report directly to the Prime Minister and its scope of duties, among others, is to advise the government in coming up with a new national economic model based on innovation, creativity and value-added elements.

"This is in line with our strategy to transform the status of the country's economy from medium- to a high-income nation and towards making Malaysia a developed nation by 2020."

Najib said Amirsham had vast expertise and experience in the financial aspects and economic planning.

Before appointed minister in charge of the Economic Planning Unit, Amirsham was Maybank Berhad chief executive officer from 1994 to 2008.

In his service to the group, he steered the Maybank Group forward as the country's largest financial institution and built the bank franchise to become the most valuable brand.

It was also during his tenure that Maybank expanded its geographic footprint in the region from 33 offices in 1994 to 89.

Amirsham served as chairman and held directorships in various leading public and private organisations, including as chairman of Malaysian Electronic Payment System, Cagamas Berhad, Permodalan Usahawan Nasional Berhad, AFC Merchant Bank and the Asian Pacific Bankers Club.

He was also a member of the Investment Panel of the Pension Trust Fund and the Employees' Provident Fund. He was also the vice-chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Banks.

At international level, he was on the advisory board of the Pacific Rim Bankers Programme and a director of the Washington-based Institute of International Finance.

He was awarded theAsian Bankers Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of his outstanding leadership in financial services and inducted into the Global Hall of Fame by the Internatioan Association of Outsourcing Professionals.

Amirsham holds an honours degree in economics from University Malaya and is a certified public accountant.