KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has terminated Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as Prasarana Malaysia Berhad's non-executive chairman with immediate effect.
The letter was dated today and signed by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
The letter comes on the heels of a public campaign calling for the sacking of Tajuddin from the government-linked company after his disastrous handling of a press conference yesterday to address the Monday two-train collision on the LRT Kelana Jaya line at KLCC that injured over 200 passengers, including six in critical condition.
“Please be informed that the Minister of Finance Incorporated has agreed that Datuk Seri’s services as the non-executive chairman of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) is terminated with immediate effect,” Tengku Zafrul said in the letter, thanking Tajuddin for his services rendered.
National news agency reported yesterday that three passengers from the collision suffered from brain haemorrhages and underwent surgery. They are currently warded at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s (HKL) Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The two LRT trains, one manned, the other autonomous, collided Monday at about 8.45pm. The autonomous train was filled with 213 passengers.
Earlier today, the Malaysian Public Transport Users Association (4PAM) criticised Tajuddin’s conduct during the press conference, after visiting the site of the crash at the KLCC station.
In a statement, 4PAM president Ajit Johl urged Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to remove Tajuddin as chairman of Prasarana and set up a Public Transport Safety Tribunal.
“Prasarana chairman’s press conference… was nothing short of rude and disgusting.
“He claims he was away in Subang, and could not reach the accident site, and received the information late, this clear disregard of passenger care is unbecoming of a chairman of an organisation that involves transporting human lives daily,” he said.
Besides his cavalier comments and attempt to joke about the crash, Tajuddin also mocked and berated a foreign journalist during the press conference.
He also appeared to wear only a face shield, sans face mask, and on one occasion even removed his mask while talking to journalists, triggering a police investigation against him for breaching the movement control order’s standard operating procedures.
