Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Global Movement of Moderates Foundation.

Nasharudin will be replacing Saifuddin Abdullah ( photo ) who had tendered his resignation after joining opposition party PKR on Oct 15.

His appointment will take effect on Nov 1.

In an announcement, foundation chairman Razali Ismail said they will continue with the efforts to strengthen the relevance, and the application of moderation in foreign policy and in the country.

"The foundation will work closely with the relevant stakeholders in realising the operationalisation of 'Langkawi Declaration on the Global Movement of Moderates'."

Saifuddin, the former Umno supreme council member, had said he defected to PKR because of the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion scandals.

Nasharudin is currently the chair of Nassar Foundation, a fellow of Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) and a member of the Council of Islamic Chinese Relations (CICR).

He was formerly the deputy president of PAS (2005-2011), as well as MP for Yan, Kedah (1999-2004), and Bachok, Kelantan (2008-2013).