Zahid's man Asyraf Wajdi is new Mara boss

Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has been appointed as the new chairman of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) effective March 10, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirms in the wake of rumour of the former Umno Youth leader's appointment to head the Bumiputera economic powerhouse.

Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, said the letter of appointment was delivered to Asyraf at the rural and regional development ministry in Putrajaya.

"Asyraf Wajdi has been appointed, it is not a rumour anymore. I signed it (the appointment letter) on Friday.

"(The photo which went viral) is authentic and the appointment was made at the rural and regional development ministry because Mara is an agency under the ministry," he was qouted by Bernama today.

Asyraf is among close allies of Zahid, the Umno president who has been widely criticised by senior party leaders over the move to back Pakatan Harapan chief Anwar Ibrahim for the top office following a hung parliament in the aftermath of the general election last year, 

Asyraf was also among a group of vocal MPs who backed the move engineered by Zahid and former leader Najib Razak to topple the Perikatan Nasional government in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. 

In the last polls, Asyraf lost to PN's Fathul Huzir Ayob in a three-way contest for the Gerik parliamentary seat.