PUTRAJAYA: Mohd Isa Abdul Samad should resign as Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman following the decision to disband the agency, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.
He said since Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had already announced that SPAD will be disbanded, it was time for Isa and all other political appointees of the former government to resign.
“I call on the SPAD chairman to resign immediately. Isa Samad’s letter of resignation has yet to be received.
“I hope as a former minister he takes the cue from Shahrir Abdul Samad (who resigned as Felda chairman) and does the honourable thing by resigning.
“As the minister responsible of SPAD, I’m asking him to resign immediately,” he said at the transport ministry here today.
Loke also said all political appointees in agencies linked to the ministry should also resign.
“This includes those in port authorities who were political appointees.
“I hope they take the honourable way out and resign. I do not want to embarrass them by sacking them.
“They should all resign by this week. If they do not resign they will be sacked.”
SPAD will be disbanded in order to downsize the government and get rid of its overlapping functions, he said.
“SPAD will continue as usual for now but will be answerable to the transport ministry.
“The long-term plan is to abolish SPAD legislation in Parliament and its staff will be absorbed into the ministry to downsize the civil service.
“We will reduce the number of staff if their functions overlap.”