CoFfEE witH PUNithAN

The claim that the Indian community is not given a fair chance to hold tops posts in government-linked companies (GLCs) is not true, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

Najib, who is also finance minister, said that 17,507 or 7.9 per cent of the 222,382 employees in the 20 biggest and listed GLCs were of Indian descent.

"A total of 175 employees or 5.1 per cent hold top management posts (managers and above) in the GLCs," he said in his written reply in the Dewan Rakyat to Dr P. Ramasamy (DAP-Batu Kawan) who wanted to know why the Indians are not given a fair chance to hold top posts like that of manager in the GLCs.

Najib said the GLCs did not impose any racial quota in recruitment or promotion and key appointments were based on merit, experience, expertise and suitability, not on ethnic background.

"This is to ensure that the GLCs have really qualified and capable top managements," he said.