KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, the Director-General of the Public-Private Partnership Unit (Ukas), has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary to the government, effective Aug 12.

Shamsul, 55, replaces Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, whose contract ends on Aug 10.

Shamsul was appointed with the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.

With 30 years of experience in the public service, Shamsul has served at the Finance Ministry, Public Service Department, and state government administration.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, US.

He has also received exposure from several international institutions, including the University of Cambridge, UK, and the European Institute of Business Administration (Insead).

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) thanked the outgoing Mohd Zuki in its announcement earlier.

"The government extends its highest appreciation and gratitude to Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali for all his services during his tenure as Chief Secretary to the Government."

"This appreciation is particularly for his efforts in strengthening the public service delivery system by introducing various reforms to ensure the national development agenda is successfully implemented," it added.

Mohd Zuki, 62, was first appointed as the Chief Secretary on Dec 31, 2019. On Aug 11, 2022, he was reappointed on a contract basis for two years.

Born in Kuala Terengganu, Mohd Zuki joined the public service in 1992 as an assistant secretary at the Finance Ministry. He went on to serve in various capacities across other ministries, including Finance, Education, Defence, Rural and Regional Development, and the Prime Minister's Department.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/1088058/ukas-d-g-shamsul-azri-new-chief-secretary-government