KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 25): Former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has resigned as the independent non-executive chairman of Versatile Creative Bhd after just 24 days in the position.

Abdul Gani, 63, had replaced Datuk Lee Kwee Hiang, 70, on Oct 1, 2018 upon Lee’s retirement.

In a statement with Bursa Malaysia today, Versatile Creative said that Abdul Gani had resigned in order “to pursue and devote more time to other personal interest[s].”

Effective today, he was replaced by Datuk Seri Mohd Shariff Omar, who had recently been appointed an independent non-executive director of the company on Aug 30, 2018.

Mohd Shariff, 71, was formerly the Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and one of seven new directors brought into the company by Versatile Creative’s largest shareholder, NSK Trading Sdn Bhd.

NSK had emerged as a substantial shareholder in the company on June 29 this year, days before the company made headlines for financial irregularities.

On Aug 21, its former managing director Datuk Wong Kong Choong and chief financial officer Tan Quok Eow had been dismissed from their posts for failing to answer satisfactorily concerning RM2.3 million worth of unauthorised payments.

Shares in Versatile Creative declined 2 sen or 3.96% to 48 sen today, leaving the group with a market capitalisation of RM62.6 million.