Apple Inc board members on Wednesday pacified shareholders by saying that Steve Jobs, the company's chief executive officer, remains deeply involved in strategic decisions and is planning to return from his medical leave as scheduled.

"Nothing has changed," Apple board member Arthur Levinson told investors at the company's annual shareholder meeting.

Steve Jobs announced on Jan. 14 that he will take a medical leave until the end of June, noting that his health-related issues were more complex than he originally thought.

According to Jobs, the arrangement was fully supported by the company's board of directors.

In recent years, concerns about Jobs' health have become a factor that causes the fluctuation of Apple's stock prices.

It was reported that after Jobs' medical leave, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission started an investigation into Apple's disclosure of his health information to determine whether investors were misled.

However, Levinson defended Apple's handling of Jobs' health issue, saying the company has met all disclosure obligations.

Jobs was absent from Wednesday's shareholder meeting, the first time in a decade that he did not show up at the event.

At the meeting, Jobs, Levinson and all the other current members of Apple's board of directors were re-elected.

Source: Xinhua