FORMER MAS CEO IDRIS JALA SWORN IN AS SENATOR

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- Former Malaysia Airlines CEO Idris Jala was Tuesday sworn in as a senator, paving the way for his appointment as a minister without portfolio in the Prime Minister's Department.

Idris, 51, who has also been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the
newly-established Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), took the
oath before Senate President Wong Foon Meng at the Senate here.

Idris' appointment was announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak last week.

Describing his appointment as a call to national service, the former
CEO of Malaysia's national carrier said he was determined to perform his duties
diligently.

"I am very pleased to be here and I shall discharge my duties diligently for
the people," he told reporters after the ceremony.

He explained that as the CEO of Pemandu, he would be reporting to Minister
in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and as such, there would be
no duplication of roles between them.

He added that his priority in Pemandu was to find out in details the
progress in the implementation of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) so far
and to chart out more initiatives to move it forward in achieving its national
objectives.

On his ministerial post, Idris said he had yet to receive any directive from
the prime minister.

"The responsibility will be assigned to me from time to time by the prime
minister," he said.

On his successor in Malaysia Airlines, Tengku Azmil Zahruddin, Idris said
Azmil had his full confidence to steer the national carrier to greater success.
-- BERNAMA