Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Elias takes helm at KTMB from tomorrow

By Sharen Kaur
sharen@nstp.com.my
Published in NST on May 1, 2012

Elias takes helm at KTMB from tomorrow



KUALA LUMPUR: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd's (KTMB) cargo division head Datuk Elias Kadir will be the new boss of the railway company.

Elias, chief executive officer (CEO) of KTMB's cargo division, will take over the helm from current president Dr Aminuddin Adnan effective tomorrow, KTMB said in a statement yesterday.

It is understood that Elias was given a three-year contract to help turn around KTMB.

Elias - the former managing director of Kontena Nasional Bhd, the country's biggest haulage firm - is understood to have the backing of the KTMB rank and file.


He is said to be popular with the rank and file because of its hands-on approach to work-related matters.

The Railwaymen's Union of Malaya (RUM) president Abdul Razak Md Hassan said the appointment of Elias as KTMB president augurs well for the company.

"We believe in Elias and are confident he can turn around KTMB. RUM has a good working relationship with him," Abdul Razak told Business Times.

Elias had been on the KTMB board for two years before being appointed recently to head the cargo division.

Business Times reported last month that Aminuddin was expected to leave the national rail company in August, after only a year into his extended two-year contract.

Apart from Elias, others in the running for the KTMB hot seat were Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah and Azahar Ahmad.

Mohd Azharuddin is a vice-president of special projects at the managing director's office in Khazanah Nasional Bhd, while Azahar is the chief operating officer of the Land Public Transport Commission .

"Aminuddin had a meeting with key officials of the Ministry of Finance Inc last Friday and he was told to tender in his resignation," one source said.

Aminuddin was not available for comment. His last day at KTMB was yesterday.

Aminuddin was appointed as KTMB president in August 2009 on a two-year contract, before being extended for another two years in August 2011.

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