Telekom Malaysia yesterday overcame the final barrier to creating the country's biggest mobile communications firm when it won shareholders' approval to take over Celcom Malaysia.

Managing director Mohamad Khir Abdul Rahman said shareholders at a special meeting here gave the nod for Telekom to buy out all other Celcom investors at RM2.75 a share.

The offer was expected to be completed in June, paving the way for the merger between Celcom and Telekom's mobile unit TM Cellular to be completed in 18 months, Khir told reporters.