GEORGE TOWN: Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif will create history by becoming the first ever Asian to hold the position of United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN‑Habitat) executive director early next year.
On Dec 20 her name was nominated by United Nations (UN) secretary general Antonio Guterres and the decision to appoint her to take the prestigious post at international level was announced yesterday, as per article published on UN's official website.
At a press conference at Komtar today, the 56-year-old mayor made it official that she will take over the post from Joan Clos of Spain.
"Actually I did not apply for the position. I was offered it. However, I will remain as the mayor until I have to leave.
"I have not been told about the official appointment date but have been asked to report for duty as soon as possible," she said while expressing her gratitude to the State government for giving her its blessings.
Her tenure as the MBPP mayor ends on June 30, 2019.
Once she takes up the post at UN-Habitat, she will be in Nairobi, Kenya, to serve her four-year tenure.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the appointment was a great honour to the country as Maimunah would take helm at a well-known international body.
"We will lose one of our best officers but her success will reflect on Malaysia as well," he said.
When asked about Maimunah's replacement, he said that it will be announced in due time.
UN-Habitat is considered as one of the most active agencies of the international body and Maimunah will be overseeing 400 core staff members, up to 2,000 project-based employees, four regional offices and activities in over 70 countries during her tenure as the executive director.
Maimunah began her career as a Town Planner at Penang Island Municipal Council (now known as MBPP) in 1985 and in 2003, she was promoted as Planning and Development director at the council until November 2009.
The same year she was also appointed George Town World Heritage Incorporated general manager to manage the George Town World Heritage Site, which was inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in July 2008.
Before she became the mayor of MBPP earlier this year, she was the first woman to serve as Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) president since 2011.
Maimunah graduated from University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, United Kingdom, with Bachelor of Science with honors in Town Planning and later pursued her studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Master of Science, specialising in planning studies.