Ex-CEO to speak at KeADILan's Budget forum

Tonight (22 Sept), Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (left), the ex-CEO of PNB and Guthrie Group who has recently been appointed as the Treasurer-General of the multiethnic opposition Parti KeADILan Rakyat (PKR), will speak on the Malaysian economy and the 2007 Budget at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall from 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

I have been told that, besides analyzing the 2007 Budget and its implications on Malaysian economy, Khalid will also offer his critiques on the New Economic Policy ( NEP) and also elaborate the concept of New Economy Agenda (NEA), as proposed by former DPM Anwar Ibrahim and endorsed by PKR last year.

The biodata of Khalid as presented in a public statement (13 July) issued by PKR's Headquaters on his appointment as the Treasurer-General, reads as follows:

Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, P.S.M., D.P.M.S., D.S.A.P., was born in 1946, Malaysian, and currently serves as Chairman of Amanah Mellenia Fund Berhad, and Malaysia Discount Berhad, this in addition to serving on the Board of Directors of SIRIM Berhad, Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia (ISIS), and National Productivity Centre (NPC).

Tan Sri is an Executive Committee member of Unit Investment Fund and a member of Financial Engineering Advisory Forum of the Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah, as well as Alternate Member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Tan Sri earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Economics degree from the University of Malaya and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Queensland, Australia in 1975.

Tan Sri had also served as a teacher, lecturer, credit officer, corporate finance officer and held various managerial positions in Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) including that of Group Chief Executive and until 2003 was the Group Chief Executive of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad.. Attended the USA International Visitors Program in 1983 and the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Program in 1989.

On December 15th, 1998, Tan Sri was the recipient of Malaysia’s CEO of the Year Award 1997, a presentation jointly organized by Business Times Sdn. Bhd. and the American Express Corporate Services. Tan Sri was similarly honoured by the University of Queensland, the recipient of the inaugural International Alumnus of the Year Award 2001.

On July 10th, 2003, Tan Sri was awarded the “AAAB Captain of Industry Award 2002” (First Asian Academy of Applied Business”) by the Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu and recently granted Senior Visiting Fellowship with the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies, Oxford University.

Also speaking will be Syed Shahir (President of Malaysian Trade Union Congress-cum- KeADILan Kelana Jaya Division Chairman) and Chinese-language Oriental Daily's economic columnist Soon Hoh Sing. The forum is open to public attendance and participation.

Last night, Khalid Ibrahim spoke in Ipoh together with Tian Chua at Hotel Excelsior . It was chaired by my friend Dr. Lee Boon Chye (left), a UK-trained practising heart specialist who is also an elected Vice President of PKR. Although I was unable to attend the forum in my four-generation hometown, I was told by an uncle of mine who attended it that he was very impressed by Khalid Ibrahim.

According to Uncle, Khalid's critical and yet intelligent analysis of the current state of the Malaysian economy and 2007 Budget as well as his exposes of how the National Front government misused - and still misuses - public resources, are "very informative and mind-opening".

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