KUALA LUMPUR (March 25): Chemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM) has appointed Pasir Gudang MP Normala Abdul Samad as its new chairman.

She replaces Datuk Seri Azalina Othman who resigned as the company's chairman last July following her appointment as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Normala has been the MP for Pasir Gudang since 2013, and is also a committee member of the International Bureau of Wanita Umno, a member of the Wanita Umno for Johor state, and also the chief of Umno's Women's Wing for Pasir Gudang.

Prior to her political career, Normala accumulated over 32 years of experience in human resources and workers safety and health.

"She began her career in Human Resource in 1981 with Pan Century Edible Oils Sdn Bhd, Pasir Gudang, and progressed to the position of Head of Human Resources in 1992 at Pan Century Oleochemicals Sdn Bhd. She later joined Grand Bank Yachts Sdn Bhd in 1995 as a Human Resources Manager and resigned in 2013," said CCM in a bourse filing.

Normala was also the former deputy chairman of Federation of Malaysia Manufacturers (FMM), Johor Branch, since 2000 and has chaired various committees within FMM.

She was also the former deputy chairman of Human Resources Officers group for the Pasir Gudang Industrial area, as well as the former deputy chairman of Malaysia Employees Federation Johor, and Honorary Secretary of Malaysian Association of Safety and Health officers.

CCM shares fell 0.5 sen or 0.51% to 97.5 sen today, giving a market capitalisation of RM445.54 million.