Isa’s move to SPAD a promotion, says PKR’s Wong Chen

Social media users also express frustration over Isa Samad's appointment as acting chairman of Land Public Transport Commission.

PETALING JAYA: A PKR MP today called Isa Samad’s appointment as the acting Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman a promotion, despite his “disastrous” tenure as Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGV) chairman.

Wong Chen said he was puzzled as to why Prime Minister Najib Razak would want Isa to lead the commission.

“This is another missed opportunity to establish better corporate governance,” the Kelana Jaya MP told FMT on the issue of the government appointing politicians to lead GLCs and key agencies.

This is especially so when SPAD has several multi-billion ringgit projects lined up being in charge of regulating and enforcing matters relating to land public transport in Peninsular Malaysia.

Yesterday, Isa resigned as FGV chairman not long after having met with Najib. However, much to the consternation of many Malaysians, including political party leaders, social activists and NGOs, he was then appointed acting SPAD chairman with immediate effect.

The former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar’s appointment to SPAD comes in the wake of FGV’s recent controversy which saw the crude oil palm producer direct its executives – including its president and CEO Zakaria Arshad – to go on indefinite leave pending an internal investigation into delayed payments from a Dubai-based Afghan company, Safitex Trading, to FGV subsidiary, Delima Oil Products.

Meanwhile, Amirudin Shari, a PKR Youth leader, has started a poll on Twitter to gauge if Isa is fit to be SPAD chairman based on his record as the FGV chairman. -FMT