MANY of the Land Public Transport Commission’s (SPAD) 967 employees are still in the dark about their future.

Although the Transport Ministry has said retrenched staff will receive new offers by December 15, there has yet to be any official letter given, some employees told The Malaysian Insight.

In a text message sighted by The Malaysian Insight, 65 of the workers will be transferred to the ministry, while 351 will be moved to the Public Land Transport Agency (APAD).

Another 328 will be transferred to the Road Transport Department (RTD), eight to the Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board and eight to the Sarawak Commercial Licensing Board.

Several sources said the SPAD employees were given retrenchment letters early this month, but have yet to get transfer letters.

“The workers were relieved when they were told that they would be transferred to APAD,” said a source.

“But many are unhappy as only a portion will be transferred to APAD.”

Pakatan Harapan, on May 23, said it would disband SPAD. On June 6, the commission was renamed APAD and placed under the Transport Ministry. Previously, SPAD was under the Prime Minister’s Department.

The source told The Malaysian Insight that the workers will be given two-year contracts, and will begin at the lowest government grade.

“Our positions were confirmed by the Public Services Department, and the wages were from the Finance Ministry. We were permanent staff, while the non-permanent staff were the senior officers.

“We don’t feel that we have job security as we are only being given contracts.”

He said RTD and SPAD’s functions are different and do not overlap.

“SPAD is responsible for maintaining service standards, while RTD looks into the technical aspects of vehicles and road conditions.”

Many will leave the government sector if they are offered lower wages, said the source.

Another source said he is sceptical about the government’s promise of transfers.

“Without any official letter, we face an uncertain future.

“Although the government plans to move 351 workers to APAD, they have not yet informed anyone. The new placements should go through interviews again, and (workers should be) placed based on their abilities. They shouldn’t just throw us anywhere.”

He said he plans to start his own business if the government fails to transfer them.

Yet another source said he is disappointed to be offered a lower salary after working 10 years for SPAD.

“The minimum wage they plan to offer us is unfair, as we have more than 10 years’ experience. We heard through unofficial channels that Transport Minister Anthony Loke had asked the director-general to cut our wages by only 30%.

“But we are still in the dark, as there have been no offers.”

He said the director-general was planning to offer them two-year contracts as he had no time to look through employees’ portfolios.

“We have given the files twice. And as such, we don’t understand why it’s taking them so long.”

The source said employees gave their resumes and portfolios to the Transport Ministry twice – in June and August.

The ministry should appoint a special committee of 30 people to re-examine SPAD’s more than 900 workers, he said.

He added that he is unhappy with the retrenchment payout of one month’s salary for each year in service, saying the formula benefits only those with high wages. – October 28, 2018.