KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4): Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has announced his resignation as chairman from government-linked Boustead Holdings Bhd effective Aug 5, 2021.

Boustead had appointed Mohamed Khaled as the company’s non-independent, non-executive chairman effective May 1, 2020.

He said that as an UMNO member, his decision was based on the party’s withdrawal of support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN)-led government and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“UMNO has clearly made a decision to withdraw support for the Prime Minister and the ruling PN government," Mohamed Khaled said on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

The UMNO vice-president expressed his gratitude to the Boustead board members and management who had given him excellent commitment and cooperation throughout his tenure.

“I am confident and believe the company is now on the right track to continue playing a role in contributing to the country's economic development, especially in ensuring continuous returns to major shareholders, namely, the military retirement fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Boustead said prior to being appointed as chairman, Mohamed Khaled was the 15th Johor Menteri Besar between 2013 and 2018, and also the Higher Education Minister between 2008 and 2013.

On Tuesday, after chairing a virtual UMNO Supreme Council meeting, party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reiterated the party's stand to withdraw support for the PN government and Muhyiddin as Prime Minister.

Ahmad Zahid also said that he had presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong several statutory declarations by UMNO Members of Parliament who expressed their withdrawal of support for the Prime Minister.