Awang Adek wants to steer Mara without weight of old perception

KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara)'s new chairman, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin is determined to steer this important Bumiputera organisation to a higher global level with a new image of transparency, efficiency and integrity.
He also resolved to guide Mara in functioning more effectively by strengthening the organisation's three major sectors – entrepreneurship, education and investment – towards empowering the people, especially the rural Malays and Bumiputeras.
"Let the new chairman lead Mara without the weight of past perceptions. I commit to focus on strengthening the organisation's three main sectors, namely entrepreneurship, education and investment, in line with the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) aspirations, with utmost credibility," he said after meeting with Mara's management team, here, today.
Awang Adek was appointed as Mara chairman effective Sept 1, replacing Tan Sri Annuar Musa whose contract ended on Aug 11, 2017.
The former deputy finance minister said Mara would be empowered in an integrated and comprehensive manner by increasing collaboration with major domestic and foreign industry players, especially in the areas of business investment, education and entrepreneurial development training.
Awang Adek said he would also ensure that Mara focus on efforts to produce more skilled human capital to meet the employment market demand as well as produce job creators.
"Besides that, we will work at adding value to Mara's secondary and tertiary education programmes such as the International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, Safran (with French aerospace equipment and aircraft engineering company) and others, whereby we plan to export Mara's education system and modules," he said.
Awang Adek, who was Malaysia's ambassador to the United States for two years from 2014, said focus would also be given to Mara's corporate governance.
He said bolstering of its corporate governance practices and framework, including that of its subsidiaries under Mara Corporation would be one of the organisation's new game changers.
"The companies under Mara are not just for making profit and competing with other Bumiputera companies, but their more global agenda encompasses human capital development towards increasing Bumiputera ownership and equity share by producing more entrepreneurs among them.
"Mara's commitment to ensuring good, high-level governance is also proven with the establishment of the Integrity Unit and Audit Unit of the National Audit Department in the organisation to raise the integrity level of its personnel," he said. — Bernama