MAHB spat : Zambry and Shukrie at loggerheads over Subang airport?

By ZAIDI ISHAM ISMAIL
editor@dagangnews.com

KUALA LUMPUR Oct 18 - Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) management is believed to be at loggerheads with each other over the future direction of Subang airport.

Sources said MAHB chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir does not see eye to eye with chief executive officer Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh.

"The top management are at odds with each other over the privatisation of Subang. Shukrie very much wants to privatise and modernise Subang airport but Zambry is very much a traditional leader.

Zambry is adamant in maintaining Subang as a national strategic asset and not let it go to a private company," a source told DagangNews.com.

Market talk is abuzz that MAHB which owns and manages the country's 39 airports is embroiled in a board room tussle.

News reports said that despite Shukrie's stellar performance at MAHB for the past 20 months, many wants him to go.

It is believed that some quarters do not want Shukrie's contract to be extended despite him navigating MAHB well through the turbulent pandemic aviation period.

A few months ago, WCT Holdings Berhad had proposed recently on privatising Subang airport also known as the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah terminal.

"Shukrie could be warm to WCT's idea but Zambry is not to keen as he wants Subang to remain in government hands.

"Outsiders might see everything is hunky dory in MAHB but in actuality, how exactly is the professional relationship between chief executive officer and chairman?

"How does Shukrie feel about a third-party proposal to take over Subang?

What is the chairman’s stance on the third-party proposal?

"It's not that clear cut and obviously MAHB will have to sort this spat quickly as it is not good for investors to see corporate captains squabbling," said the source. - DagangNews.com

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