KUCHING, Jan 3 — The state government said Putrajaya did not consult it regarding the appointment of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research chairman Tan Sri Kamal Mat Salih as the fourth chairman of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

In a statement, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the state government will seek further clarification from the federal government on the appointment.

"It is regrettable that the appointment of Tan Sri Kamal Salih has not been referred to the Sarawak government,” the CMO said.

"It has to be clarified that the Unimas Board chairman has always been appointed after consultation with the state government,” it said, adding that the state government was not officially notified of the appointment prior to the announcement in the media.

"This has been the process that was adhered to since the appointment of the first chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Bujang Mohd Nor, second chairman Datuk Hatta Solhi and the third chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Sulong Matjeraie,” the CMO said.

Sulong, a former Federal Court judge, had his three-year term cut short on December 20, 2019.

It was set to expire on April 30, 2021. He was appointed for a three-year term on May 1, 2018.

Kamal is set to serve from January 1, 2020 until December 31, 2022.

Kamal, an economist, policy advisor, academic administrator and politician, is the first non-Sarawakian to be appointed as Unimas chairman.

He was Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju from 1996 to 1999.

He earned BA (Hons) from Monash University and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973.

He was a professor, dean and deputy vice-chancellor at the Universiti Sains Malaysia between 1973 and 1985.

From 1986 to 1994 he was executive director of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, and had also served as a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Panel in 1981-1986.

He was also a member of the Malaysian Business Council 1991-1996, and was Rapporteur-General of the first National Economic Consultative Council 1989-1991.