SHAH ALAM: Barely three days before the first anniversary of his appointment to the Defence Ministry as the secretary-general, DS Isham Ishak, 54, has been appointed to the same position at the Agriculture and Food Securities Ministry. He is replaced at Jalan Padang Tembak by Lokman Hakim Ali, 51, who had served in the same position in that ministry.

Isham had replaced Lokman at the Interntional Trade and Industry Ministry when the latter moved the Agriculture Ministry.

The announcement of the reshuffle was made by the Chief Secretary to the Government DS Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar on Wednesday (September 04). The appointments will become effective this September 23, three days before the anniversary of Isham’s move to Jalan Padang Tembak.

Isham’s main achievement during his tenure in Jalan Padang Tembak is of course the full nationalization of the Boustead Naval Shipyard, which is now known as Lumut Naval Shipyard. Of course, the nationalisation exercise was already on-going when he became the secretary-general, but he was there at the finish line.

It is interesting to note that Isham himself told the Public Accounts Committee in one of the hearings that he was appointed to Jalan Padang Tembak by the PMX, to ensure the completion of the LCS programme. One wonders whether this means PMX thinks the project is on the right track or not.

Apart from the duo, the transfer of the secretary-generals involved other ministries including Home. Home current secretary-general Ruji Ubi, 54, is going to the Education Ministry in the same position and his replacement at Home is Awang Alik Jeman, 56. Awang is being promoted as he was previously the senior deputy secretary-general of the Prime Minister’s Department. The effective date of the appointment is today (September 5).

–Malaysian Defence

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