Amir Hamzah to draw on vast corporate experience in new role

NEW Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan is set to draw on his vast corporate experience to develop Malaysia’s economy and regain its position as a leading economic force within the region. 

Amir said he will fully utilise his experience, particularly as the chief executive officer of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) since March 2021, in efforts to empower the administration of the Finance Ministry.

His main focus would be to assist Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in redeveloping the economy under the Madani framework.

“I am confident that with solid support from all officers in the ministry and related agencies, we can strengthen the economy and rise. It is also critical for my team and me to understand the transformation needed to achieve the targets to be set,” he said after the swearing-in of new ministers at Istana Negara today.

This morning Amir took his oath as a senator before Dewan Negara president Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and was one of the five new ministers sworn in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

The other four ministers in the reshuffled cabinet are Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who returns as health minister, Damansara MP Gobind Singh Deo (digital minister), Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim (human resources minister), and Titiwangsa MP Johari Abdul Ghani (plantation and commodities minister).

Sim said he will work hard to ensure the welfare of workers is safeguarded, in addition to enhancing productivity, job opportunities, talents and skills to support Malaysia’s economic growth. 

“I will use my experience as deputy finance minister where we had several policy and fiscal management frameworks to develop the economy through the Madani framework. I will incorporate those aspects in my tasks under this new ministry,” he said.  

Johari said he needed to think outside the box to lead the ministry, adding that it is a rather challenging portfolio because it is an important component of the country’s economy. 

“For example, in the context of agriculture in our country, it forms 8.9% of our GDP, while plantation and commodities account for more than 50% of agriculture’s contribution. 

“There are a lot of things that I will share with the ministry. This ministry deals with large-scale agriculture, which poses numerous challenges,” he said. 

Dzulkefly said he will focus on completing the health transformation programme he implemented in the previous administration, which includes digital health transformation and health financing.

“I will address acute care, issues and grievances related to hospitals, patient wait time, and the welfare of medical personnel from contract staff to pharmacy officers. I will also look into preventive and promotive care related to non-communicable diseases),“ he said. – Bernama, December 12, 2023.