Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) managing director Abd Radzak Ab Malek has received Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat’s vote of confidence.

Ong dismissed the notion that Abd Radzak’s work would be hampered because the KTMB chairman had not been appointed yet.

“He is the MD and he will carry out the work entrusted to him,” Ong said when contacted last week.

He added the chairman’s post would be decided by the Finance Ministry and subsequently, Abd Radzak would be informed as “part of the consultation” process.

Ong, however, was unsure when the post would be filled.

Meanwhile, Abd Radzak, 57, who replaced Datuk Mohd Salleh Abdullah on Sept 2, said his focus was to improve train services.

And for that, he said, he had the full backing of the staff.

“I have faith in them,” he stressed.

He explained that he had not been able to attend some functions or meet the Press because of time constraints.

It has been some 53 days since he joined KTMB, he revealed last Thursday, but controversies still abound.

However, Abd Radzak has chosen to ignore them as he didn’t want to be distracted from his work.

KTMB board chairman Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek and a few other members resigned after learning of the government’s decision to revoke an earlier decision to appoint former Pos Malaysia Bhd managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Idrose Mohamed.

One of the grievances against Abd Radzak had also been his active political life and whether that would interfere with his work at KTMB.

“I’m not an active politician.

I’m just an Umno member in my hometown in Kampar,” he explained.

Radzak, a freight services general manager until he retired last year, was given a two-year term to serve with KTMB, which has more than 5,000 employees.

KTMB was privatised in 1992 after more than 122 years of service.