KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has resigned as chairman and director of Supermax Corp Bhd, saying she disagreed with convicted managing director Datuk Seri Stanley Thai’s apology for supporting Malaysia’s Opposition in 2013.

According to news portal Malaysiakini, Rafidah said it was the right of all Malaysians and companies to support whichever political party they choose.

"Pursuant to the ‘apology’ by Stanley Thai to the (incumbent) prime minister for whatever he did during the 13th general election, I have resigned from serving as a director of Supermax Corporation and as the chairperson, with effect from April 14.

"While it is his (Thai’s) right to do what he feels he needed to do, I do not share the same sentiments,” she was quoted saying.

The former international trade and industry minister said she was a strong proponent of integrity and honesty as well as a believer in the individual’s prerogative to back the political party of his choice without fear of repercussions.

Rafidah was appointed chairman of Supermax, the world’s second-largest glove manufacturer, in 2015.

Thai, who was convicted of insider trading in 2014 and is currently appealing against his five-year sentence, called a press conference last Saturday where he formally apologised to Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He expressed regret for allowing himself to be influenced by the local Opposition in 2013, and said he has since formed the belief that businesspeople "should not be involved in politics under any circumstances”.

In a 2013 interview with Bloomberg, Thai said he was joining the local Chinese community in withdrawing its support from the ruling Barisan Nasional "to protect the future of his children”.