KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 7): Khazanah Nasional Bhd (Khazanah), the major shareholder of troubled Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS), has rubbished reports that outgoing Aer Lingus chief executive officer (CEO) and director, Christoph Muller, would be appointed the new MAS CEO as “speculative and premature”.

Khazanah, which owns 69.37% of MAS, said in a press release today that a search for the airline’s new CEO post-privatisation is “still ongoing”.

“As announced on August 29, 2014, Khazanah is undertaking a global search for a new CEO for MAS from among Malaysian and foreign leadership talent. The search forms part of efforts to strengthen the leadership of the airline, as called for under the 12-point MAS Recovery Plan,” said Khazanah.

“The final decision on a new CEO will be made after due consideration and in consultation with the Special Shareholder, Minister of Finance Incorporated. The outcome will be announced in due course, within the timeframe indicated previously,” it added.

As part of its 12-point MAS Recover plan, Khanazah promised that a transition in leadership will be conducted in an orderly fashion. It said it will announce the appointment of a new CEO before the end of 2014.

Khazanah’s response came after it was reported by news portal The Malaysian Insider, quoting sources, that Muller is the candidate most likely to be chosen to helm MAS as part of the company’s restructuring process.

The report said the Irish airline had announced in July that the German aviation veteran, who joined Aer Lingus in 2009 and turned it around, would step down as its CEO and director in May 2015.

Currently, MAS is still led by Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, who is expected to do so until July 1, 2015. Ahmad will step down when a new company is set up to house MAS after the airline is delisted from Bursa Malaysia by year-end.