SYED Hamid Albar was struck dumb when he heard that former Felda Global Ventures chairman Isa Samad had been appointed to succeed him as the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman in June.

While the prime minister certainly did not need to consult him over the choice of his successor, Syed Hamid said, Isa was a controversial choice due to the many issues surrounding him.
 
“No one needs to discuss (my successor) with me; the prime minister doesn’t need to discuss it with anyone.

“It is important for him (Najib Razak) to not feed the controversy, but I was dumbfounded when he chose Isa,” Syed Hamid told The Malaysian Insight.

Although Isa is “a very experienced politician and a good grassroots man”, there are “a lot of issues brought up against him”.

“It is the right of the government to choose him, but the government must answer the questions surrounding him.”

The veteran Umno politician was appointed SPAD chairman on June 19, the day he resigned from FGV.

About a fortnight ago, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested Isa and detained him for five days to aid in investigations into allegations of corruption and mismanagement during his time as FGV chairman.

Syed Hamid said the government needed to “exercise wisdom” in selecting his replacement at SPAD.

“Whoever wants to lead SPAD, there has to be plenty of dedication and commitment. It is not only a matter of qualification but also performance.

“If anything goes wrong, the board will be responsible. That is why I have a personal interest to understand exactly what the board recommends so that when we make a decision, it is an informed decision, a calculated decision,” said Syed Hamid, who was SPAD chairman for seven years.

The 73-year-old has served under three prime ministers – Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak – in the posts of   legal minister, defence minister, foreign affairs minister, and home minister.

He expressed regret at the manner in Najib treated his resignation as SPAD chairman. He said he received the letter accepting his resignation one day before he was to leave.

The letter “came as a shock” as he had submitted his resignation weeks earlier and had not heard from the prime minister.

“When I wrote my letter of resignation, it was a week or two weeks before. In the letter, I told the prime minister… I don’t know who you want to appoint but you have to be quick to appoint because my term will end at such and such a date.

“Although I had given enough time, I didn’t get any feedback on what was (to be) his decision.

“If he had told me earlier, there could have been a proper farewell for me,” Syed Hamid said.

Instead, he ended up leaving quietly with some of his staff not even aware of his departure.

“I don’t know, I am not used to this. Usually in the government, we have a proper handover of duty. Although it is not legally required, it is just courtesy.

“I exited the building for the last time without my staff knowing about it. They were only told later and they came to my house in the evening to say goodbye, sad that I had suddenly decided to go.

“And they apologised if they had seemed rude, but I said no, it is okay.” – August 27, 2017.