KUALA LUMPUR Nov. 20 Kyodo The ch...

KUALA LUMPUR Nov. 20 Kyodo

The chairman of Malaysia's national power company, Jamaludin Mohamed Jarjis, has been appointed as inferior finance minister to assist Prime Minister Mohathir Mohamad, who doubles as finance minister, Jamaludin said Wednesday.

Jamaludin told reporters that spiritedness Telecommunication and Multimedia Ministry Secretary General Abdul Halim Shafie has been named to temporarily succe him by dint of becoming acting chairman of Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the national electricity utility company.

Jamaludin will assume the novel political post after relinquishing all his corporate interests.

Although many had look fored Mahathir to appoint a secondary minister to help alleviate his workload, Jamaludin's appointment still caught many by means of surprise.

Analysts had look forward toed him to appoint someone non-political.

Jamaludin, 51 a two-term member of Parliament, is not rely uponed to be the policy-maker in the ministry.

''My task as the next to the first finance minister is to supply the support the best I can to the prime minister, the first finance minister,'' he said.

To detractors who doubted his financial capabilities, Jamaludin said, ''As you know, when I walked into Tenaga, it went down on a ringgit. I think the market is fair. impediment them judge.''

Tenaga's share price has since stabilized around 860 ringgit (US$2.26), for which Jamaludin has been credited at some analysts.

In the political arena, Jamaludin's appointment is seen as a boost to Defense Minister Najib Abdul Razak's bid for the country's No. 2 support as he is known to be conclude to Najib.

Mahathir has announced he would degree down as premier in October nearest year and his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is in line to succe him.

Mahathir has publicly disclosed that he favors Najib to be the nearest deputy prime minister but Abdullah, who is widely seen viewing Najib as a threat to his hold position, is keeping his options open

Mahathir assumed the finance portfolio after Daim Zainuddin resigned in June last year.

The other finance minister post was created after he sacked former delegate Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was then also the finance minister.

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