SPAD says no to foriegn bus drivers

Recruiting foreigners is not the best solution to resolve the critical shortage in public transport drivers, said Public Land Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar.

"There's some pressure on us by bus operators to allow them to hire foreigners as drivers, but we disagree, unless they have permanent resident status.

"The important thing now is to figure out how to attract locals to fill the vacancies," he told reporters after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SPAD and Mara, here today.

Mara director-general Datuk Ibrahim Ahmad and Syed Hamid signed the smart partnership MoU, witnessed by Rural and Regional Development deputy minister Datuk Hassan Malek and Mara chairman Datuk Idris Jusoh.

Syed Hamid added that SPAD was in the midst of planning an academy to produce high calibre bus drivers who will meet set standards, and may work with Mara on the matter.

SPAD had also allocated RM1.5 million to Mara to enhance its stage bus service to rural areas, he said. Meanwhile, Hassan said Mara played an important role because private companies were not interested in providing such bus services as it was not profitable.

Ibrahim said the funds allocated by SPAD was timely as Mara incurred about RM9 million in losses for this service.