Malaysia’s Maxis group expresses concern on SLT crisis
View(s):Malaysia’s Maxis group, Sri Lanka Telecom’s (SLT) second largest shareholder, has expressed concern on the company’s bureaucratic bungling of top officials when handling its administration, informed sources revealed.
Maxis Group representatives on the SLT board of directors were highly disturbed about the handling of operations of the national telecom operator, a local representative with close connections to the Maxis said. Maxis which owns 44.98 per cent in the company had expected to roll out a comprehensive package and strategic management of SLT under the present top management, but the company is moving in the wrong direction, he added.
SLT trade unions are demanding top management to take disciplinary action against corrupt officials without trying to protect them because of personnel connections.Unruly happenings at the recent board meeting of the SLT was a disgrace for the company and no one should try to protect corrupt officials who were accused of financial misappropriation, he said adding that although the management has decided to suspend work of Mobitel’s CEO Ranjith Rubasinghe, he has been allowed to continue duties as the head of two telecom subsidiaries including SLT Manpower Solutions (Pvt) Ltd.
A senior member of the SLT trade union told Business Times that for the first time the company has enrolled personnel with political connections on contract basis paying them high salaries for doing nothing. He noted that some Deputy General Managers with long term experience, skills and knowledge were not given proper work at SLT although the company has embarked on a re-alignment process at present. The FCID is investigating Mr. Rubasinghe over accusations that he had used money and resources of the institution to politically promote former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
SLT Trade unions also urged government authorities to probe he recent leaking out of sensitive information on LTE (Long Term Evolution) Technology achieving speeds of up to 96 Mbps which was made known only to the board of directors.