There is perhaps no cabinet minister who is as energetic and inspiring as Idris Jala, a non-political cabinet appointee who is now the CEO of Pemandu, the government transformation unit that sits under the Prime Minister’s Department.

His honest reputation, his rags to high-level Shell executive story, his guitar playing prowess, his steadfast faith and his down-to-earth demeanour have all won him public admiration. Those who have heard him speak in public, as I have, would no doubt have found him to be an engaging speaker, in charge of his facts and figures and more than capable of selling the ideas which he feels so passionately for...