Senator Idris Jala was sworn in as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara today.

Present were Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat, Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam, Senate President Wong Foon Meng and several other cabinet ministers.

NONE Jala took the oath of office and loyalty and signed the appointment document witnessed by Chief Justice Zaki Azmi and Chief Secretary to the government Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Jala, 51, was appointed Minister without Portfolio in the Prime Ministers Department and chief executive officer of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu).

As CEO of Pemandu, the unit monitoring the implementation of the key performance indicator (KPI) initiative, he will assist and report to Koh Tsu Koon, the minister in the Prime Minister's Department who is responsible for national unity and performance management.

Jala was formerly CEO and managing director of Malaysia Airlines (MAS). He was sworn in a a senator yesterday.

- Bernama