Chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa will retire on Aug 29 , reported The Star today.

This is despite a proposal for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to retain the 63-year-old top official to stay until end of this year.

Citing sources in the chief secretary's office, the report said Ali's last day will be on Aug 29.

Another source in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Ali’s contract of would not be renewed.

“It was the previous administration that extended his contract,” said a source.

With Ali’s pending retirement, Putrajaya is already abuzz over his successor, said the report.

Several senior government servants said previous chief secretaries were selected from among senior secretaries-general or directors-general of the Public Service Department (PSD).

However, Parliament will be setting up a special committee on major public appointments to handle the appointment of top officials, in line with the Pakatan Harapan manifesto.

It was reported in June that former MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed might replace Ali.

Abu Kassim was on June 1 appointed to lead the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) to formulate policies for anti-corruption reforms in the civil service.

Mahathir dropped several top government officials soon after assuming office on May 10.

Among those who had their contract shortened were former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali and former Election Commission chairperson Mohd Hashim Abdullah.

Former MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad, meanwhile, resigned.

On another matter, the report quoting a source in the PMO, said Mahathir is “aware” of a letter from a group of administrative and diplomatic (PTD) officers alleging abuse of power among several high-ranking government officers in promoting their “friends and cronies” .

The letter named four people they alleged had conspired to elevate nearly 20 civil servants to higher ranks between January and May.

The PTD officers described the promotion exercise as "extraordinary".

They proposed the government to set up an investigative committee to check the alleged abuse of power by these high-ranking officers.