Istana Negara said yesterday the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, had consented to only one name that was nominated for the post of governor of the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

“It is notified that there was no other name apart from the nominee that had been presented to His Majesty for consent,” said Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja of Istana Negara Awang Kecik Abdul Rahman in a statement in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

“For the purpose that was stated, His Majesty had consented to give his signature for the appointment on Tuesday, April 26 2016,” he said.

As such, he said, the allegation that there was a ‘U-turn’ in the appointment of the post was totally not true.

The statement from the Istana Negara refuted foreign media reports on the occurrence of a ‘U-turn’ in the appointment of Muhammad Ibrahim as the successor to Zeti Akhtar Aziz, 68, who would retire as the governor of Bank Negara on Saturday.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Wednesday announced that Muhammad was appointed as the governor of BNM for a five-year term beginning May 1, 2016.

Najib said Muhammad’s appointment had received the consent of Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

- Bernama