KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Barely a week after stepping down as the head of the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC) Berhad, Umno’s Tan Sri Noh Omar was today touted to be the next Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) chairman.

Malaysiakini reported an anonymous source claiming Noh to have been nominated for the PUNB post, although confirmation is said to be pending further processes.

"This is the normal procedure in a government-linked company. The board of directors must vote first.

"We will only know next week,” an unnamed aide of Noh was quoted saying.

The Tanjung Karang MP and former federal minister was appointed to head MISC on June 1, 2020, but resigned just over two weeks later on June 18.

In a separate report, Focus Malaysia said Noh’s entry into PUNB would mean the exit of yet another Pakatan Harapan appointee, Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin, who was prior to that an entrepreneur.

According to Focus Malaysia, Hazimah has been asked to vacate her post with immediate effect, and was instead offered a role to lead the Malaysian Debt Ventures Bhd.

Hazimah was appointed in September 2018, replacing Tan Sri Mohd Ali Rustam, who was installed as the seventh Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka on June 5.