Non-bumiputeras will be appointed to top posts in government-linked companies or GLCs, Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop told the Dewan Rakyat.

According to Bernama , he said interviews and discussions with shortlisted candidates for posts like chief executive officers, chief operations officers and senior officers are being conducted now.

"Some of the candidates are currently working with international banks overseas and earning fat salaries but have opted to return to Malaysia to work with the GLCs albeit at a lower pay," he said when winding up the debate on the Supply (Re-allocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2004 yesterday.

Nor Mohamed said the government had so far appointed six bumiputeras to top positions in GLCs.

He said the government had set four selection criteria - intelligence, hardworking, integrity and someone who is open to criticism and ideas.

Government policies

Touching on implementation of government policies such as the New Economic Policy, National Development Policy, Vision 2020 Policy, he said success had been achieved not only in increasing per capita income and purchasing power parity but also in producing more local professionals.

He said the monthly per capita income of Malaysians had increased to more than RM14,000 from RM3,700 in 1980, while purchasing power from US$5,000 to US$10,000 over the same period.

Poverty level had dwindled from 35 per cent to less than five per cent.

As to local professionals, the country had produced 13,000 doctors compared to only 3,340 in 1980, he said, adding that the number of bumiputera doctors saw a jump from 341 in 1980 to 5,000 now.

In the engineering sector, Nor Mohamed said the number had increased from 8,000 in 1980 to 39,000 so far this year, up by more than 10 fold, he said.

In the legal sector, the number of lawyers had risen from 1,150 to 10,000 over the same period, while bumiputera lawyers had shot up from 173 to 3,000, he said.

Nor Mohamed also said a larger cabinet would ensure efficient administration and quality services to the people.