KINIBIZ Malaysia’s diversified plantation Sime Darby Group has appointed former Johor menteri besar Abdul Ghani Othman as its non-executive chairperson and director, thus confirming earlier reports that this would take place.

Abdul Ghani Othman ( right in photo ) - an academician and Umno politician who lost in a contest against DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang for the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat in the 13th general election - has been the state menteri besar for 18 years (1995-2013), serving for four terms.

The Sime Darby post was left vacant last November following the retirement of veteran BN politician Musa Hitam on Nov 8. In the interim period, Samsudin Osman was chairperson of the company, which is one of Malaysia’s oldest conglomerates.

According to a filing to Bursa Malaysia, Sime Darby stated that 66-year-old Abdul Ghani’s political career began in 1984 when he was appointed a senator. He was also energy, telecommunication and post deputy minister (1987-1990) and deputy finance minister (1990-1993) and youth and sports minister (1993-1995).

Before entering politics, Abdul Ghani had been an economics lecturer at Universiti Malaya.

Sime Darby shares ended flat at RM9.40 today on Bursa Malaysia.

- KiniBiz