PUTRAJAYA, Feb 10 — Datuk Mohd Shafiq Abdullah has been appointed as the secretary-general of the Ministry of Health (MOH) effective today.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali when making the announcement said Mohd Shafiq, 57, replaces Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min who retired on February 3.

He said Mohd Shafiq has extensive experience in various fields including finance, policy and development, and had also served as the deputy secretary-general of the ministry.

"With the experience and credibility possessed by Mohd Shafiq, I am confident that he will be able to continue the MOH’s administrative and management excellence in the field of health in Malaysia, especially in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement.

Mohd Shafiq, who has a Bachelor’s of Political Science (Hons) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and a Masters in Public Administration from Meiji University, Japan, has served in the civil service for 29 years, with his first appointment as assistant secretary in the Ceremonial Division of the Prime Minister’s Department on December 1, 1992. — Bernama