KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng today said the nine corporate leaders made a "smart decision” by offering their resignations to allow the prime minister the opportunity to choose the board of sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

Lim also emphasised that the board’s decision to resign en masse was voluntary.

"It is their decision. I feel that is a smart decision to give PM the choice,” he told reporters in Parliament.

Lim said that the matter of the appointments of Khazanah board members will be left to the "wisdom of the Prime Minister.”

"It is always the PM who will make the final decision,” he said.

He said the the matter has not been discussed in the Cabinet meeting.

"The next step will be decided by the PM,” he added.