KL power firm chairman

KL power firm chairman

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday power company Tenaga Nasional chief Ani Arope, who has come under severe criticism for last week's mass blackout, would be replaced.

Mahathir said Ani, who is Tenaga's executive chairman, would be replaced by Ahmad Tajuddin, director-general of the Standards and Industrial Research Institute Malaysia.

"Ani had completed his contract last month. We searched (for a successor) and found Ahmad suitable to take over as executive chairman," Mahathir was quoted as saying by Bernama in Langkawi island, off northern Kedah state.

Ani's contract had expired last month but was extended by another month.

Mahathir also said changes would be carried out to Tenaga's top-level management once Ani was replaced. The premier did not elaborate.

Ani had come under fire for the massive power outage on Aug. 3.

A malfunctioning switch at a Tenaga power station in eastern Trengganu state tripped and caused the national grid to collapse. Manufacturers have estimated their losses at 123 million ringgit (US$49.2 million) in the blackout, which brought peninsular Malaysia to a standstill for 16 hours. The Malaysian American Electronics Industry, an alliance grouping 20 firms, estimated 29.4 million ringgit in losses.