He replaces the late Bersatu Supreme Council member Lajim Ukin, who passed away from Covid-19 on Aug 29.

AIM is a private trust that receives government funding which it uses to provide micro-loans in line with its mission to uplift communities from poverty.

In a statement, AIM said it was confident that Shabudin would help guide the organisation to perform better.

Shabudin was formerly with Umno but defected to Bersatu in 2019.

He served briefly as the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) chairman in May last year.

In July last year, he was appointed deputy minister in the prime minister’s department in charge of law and Parliament under Muhyiddin Yassin’s government.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who took over after the collapse of Muhyiddin’s 17-month-old government last month, dropped Shabudin from his Cabinet.

Congratulating Shabudin on his appointment, AIM hoped his appointment would help improve its role and function in assisting the government to reduce poverty and improve the economic standards of low-income households.