Board of Directors

Tuan Ong Keng Siew is a Commerce graduate from Tunku Abdul Rahman College, Malaysia. He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), United Kingdom, and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA). He also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, United States.

Tuan Ong began his career as an Accountant at Paramount Corporation Berhad (Paramount) in 1981. He was later promoted to Finance and Administration Manager in 1984 and subsequently appointed as General Manager overseeing property development and construction operations in 1989.

In 1997, he advanced to the role of Group Deputy Managing Director and Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer, before being appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount on 18 June 2012 — marking a distinguished 30-year career with the company. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of Paramount on 14 November 1994 and currently serves as the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director since 3 August 2022.

In addition to his role at Paramount, Tuan Ong also serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director at United Malacca Berhad since 19 January 2017, and at Pekat Group Berhad since 7 May 2019.

Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin bin Haji Umar graduated from the University of Malaya, Malaysia with a B.Sc (Hons) (Chemistry) in 1995 before pursuing his M.Sc. (Science and Technology Policy) at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom in 2003. Later, he obtained his PhD (Renewable Energy) from Murdoch University, Western Australia in 2014.

Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin has vast and diverse experience working in the Government ministries/agencies in areas related to energy, science and technology, social as well as infrastructure. At times, his postings also saw him reported directly to the Ministers. He started his career as an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment in 1996. Later, he was appointed as a Senior Assistant Director, Industry Section, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (EPU) in 2003. The next couple of years saw him posted in science & technology-related work, i.e. Director of Management Services, National Space Agency (2004) and Senior Private Secretary to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (2005). From 2007 onwards, except for a stint as Senior Private Secretary to the Minister of Energy, Water and Communications and Senior Private Secretary to the Minister of Works until 2010, Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin was mostly involved in energy-related assignments, viz, various capacities before assuming Director of Energy Division, EPU position in 2016.

As a recognition to his services and contributions, Dr Mohd Shaharin has been promoted to JUSA B grade as Director of Social Services Division, EPU effective from December 2020.

Effective 23 September 2022, Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin has assumed a new role as Director of Regional Development Division in the Ministry of Economy (formerly known as EPU) overseeing on corridors, spatial and rural development as well as Sabah and Sarawak socioeconomic development including MA63. He also leads the National Secretariat for Malaysia to several subregional cooperation namely Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia- Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and Malaysia - Singapore Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM).

Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin’s forays in Energy Division of EPU had seen him contributing to the preparation of the 11th Malaysia Plan 2015-2020 and Mid-Term Review of the 11th. Malaysia Plan besides fulfilling other exigencies of services. In numerous occasions, he accompanied and advised the Minister on international oil and gas engagements especially OPEC, International Energy Forum (IEF) and gas-related meetings. On his past capacities, Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin participated in various roundtables and international fora as well as contributing his thoughts on thematic issues such as energy security, sustainability, and renewable energy (RE). He has also dwelt in specific RE particularly biomass as could be seen from his papers in his university days.

Besides responsible on health, housing and sports sectors, during his tenure as Director of Social Services Division, he initiated the work on Ageing Nation Agenda, which is one of a new agenda under the 12MP.

At present, Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin is heading the Regional Development Division, Ministry of Economy in the Mid-Term Review 12th Malaysia Plan and the on-going 13th Malaysia Plan exercises by chairing Technical Working Groups and Inter-Agency Panel Group (IAPG) on Regional Development. He also sits in corridors’ project development committees chaired by the respective states Menteri Besar and Chief Ministers. As a focal point for subregional cooperation such as IMT-GT, BIMP-EAGA and JMCIM, he advises the Minister and the Ministry senior officials on Malaysia position in these cooperations and leads the Ministry’s team to facilitate as well as coordinate Malaysia delegation participation in both Ministerial and Senior Official level meetings.

Dr Haji Mohd Shaharin key contributions is by leading the Malaysian team in discussion and negotiation with Singapore counterpart on the establishment and execution of nation’s new game changer, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).

Born in Kelantan on 3 August 1971, Datuk Muhammad Azmi bin Mohd Zain holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the University of Malaya (1995) and a Master of Social Science (Development Science) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (2012).

Datuk Muhammad Azmi has served in the Malaysian public service for 29 years, beginning his career in 1996 as an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer, where he was first assigned as an Assistant Director at the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Throughout his distinguished career, he has served in various government agencies, including the Public Service Department (JPA), the Ministry of Federal Territories, and the Putrajaya Corporation (PPj), where he held the position of President. He has also been appointed as the Acting Chairman of the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation (PKB) and Interim Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). He currently serves as the Director General of Lands and Mines (Federal) — also known as the Federal Land Commissioner.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, Datuk Muhammad Azmi has received the Excellent Service Award in 2001, 2004, 2009, and 2013. He was also conferred the titles Kesatria Mahkota Wilayah (KMW) in 2009 and Panglima Mahkota Wilayah (PMW) in 2018 and was appointed as an Honorary Major of the Malaysian Territorial Army (Askar Wataniah) in 2021.

A native of Perak, Dato’ Jana Santhiran Muniayan currently serves as the Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport Malaysia. Prior to this appointment, he held the position of Secretary General at the Ministry of Youth and Sports from 5 January 2022 to 16 January 2023.

With 27 years of service in the Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Service, Dato’ Jana began his career as an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Rural Development in 1995. A year later, he was transferred to the Ministry of Education as an Assistant Secretary in the Development and Privatisation Division, where he was later promoted to Senior Assistant Secretary in 2003. During his tenure at the Ministry of Education, he also served as the Project Manager for the Asian Development Bank and World Bank Education Projects in Malaysia.

He was subsequently posted to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as Senior Principal Assistant Secretary in the Policy and Strategic Planning Unit. While serving there, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Homebuyer Claims Tribunal in September 2007. The following year, he became the Director of the Abandoned Project Rehabilitation Division within the same ministry.

In December 2014, Dato’ Jana was appointed as Division Secretary for Administration and Finance at the Ministry of Transport. He later joined the Ministry of Finance as Senior Deputy Director of the National Strategy Unit from May 2016 to September 2018, before returning to the Ministry of Transport as Deputy Secretary (Management) until December 2020.

Subsequently, he was appointed as Chief Secretariat of the Government Administration, Procurement, and Finance Investigation Committee under the Prime Minister’s Department until August 2021. He later served as Deputy Secretary General (Environment) at the Ministry of Environment and Water before assuming his current position as Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport.

YBhg. Dato’ Azhar Bin Ahmad was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) on 16 February 2023. He holds an LL.B (Hons) degree from London. Dato’ Azhar began his career in the legal field with the Malaysia Industrial Development Finance Group and Guthrie Berhad. A proud native of Georgetown, Penang, he later expanded his professional journey across several prominent corporations, including MMC Corporation Berhad and Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad.

In 2007, he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd., and subsequently served as the Chief Operating Officer at the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) in 2011. With extensive experience spanning transportation, logistics, banking, and property, he went on to lead Pos Malaysia Berhad as Group Chief Operating Officer from January 2014 to January 2017.

Dato’ Azhar previously held the position of General Manager at RAC from 8 August 2018 to 7 August 2020. On 16 February 2023, he was once again entrusted with the responsibility to lead the organisation. In recognition of his contributions, he was conferred the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), which carries the title Dato’, during the 2023 Investiture Ceremony of the State Honours and Awards of Penang on 18 October 2023.

YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Amiruddin Bin Muhamed, a native of Perak, began his career in the Corporate Planning Division of Business Focus Group Sdn. Bhd. from 1996 to May 1998. He later joined the Ministry of Finance in May 1998 as an Assistant Director in the Accounting and Management Development Division, where he served until 2003. He subsequently moved to the Investment, Government-Linked Companies (GLC), and Privatisation Division, where he held the position of Senior Principal Assistant Secretary. Among his responsibilities were managing corporatisation and privatisation activities for agencies under the jurisdiction of various ministries.

Dato’ Dr. Amiruddin currently serves as the Undersecretary of the Strategic and General Sector, Government Investment Companies Division, Ministry of Finance. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Melayu Perak – MAIPk), a position he held since 2014.

During his tenure at MAIPk, he also served on the Board of Directors of several organisations, including PKEINPk Sdn. Bhd., Ar-Ridzuan Medical Group (KPAR), Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS), MRT Corp Sdn. Bhd., Suria Strategic Energy Resources Sdn. Bhd., MyPower (a company limited by guarantee), SRC International Sdn. Bhd., and Transit Acquirer Sdn. Bhd.

Dato’ Dr. Amiruddin holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Accounting and Finance from Durham University, United Kingdom. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Economics (Economic Development) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting (Honours) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.