PUTRAJAYA, May 23 — Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Isa Samad has one week to resign the post, after which he will be unceremoniously removed, said Anthony Loke today.

Loke made the offer in a press conference following an earlier announcement by the prime minister that the commission will be absorbed by his ministry.

"SPAD chairman Isa Samad has to resign immediately. As a former minister, I hope he will do the honourable way and voluntarily resign.

"I would prefer not to terminate the posts or having to issue the termination letter,” said Loke, who also extended the "invitation” to other political appointees under his ministry.

He said those holding positions on the boards of directors of port authorities, who were appointed by the previous minister under the Barisan Nasional administration, should step down within the same timeframe.

"I do not have to name them one by one... it is not my approach to embarrass people. They should do the honourable thing and resign,” he said.

Meanwhile, on absorbing SPAD into his ministry, Loke said the restructuring will take some time as the ministry has several matters to sort out, including plans to repeal the Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat Act 2010 (SPAD) in Parliament.

He said the department will continue to carry out its work and functions under the ministry’s supervision.

Earlier, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad terminated several agencies including SPAD and the Special Affairs Department (JASA) in an apparent austerity measure prompted by the discovery of Malaysia’s over RM1 trillion debt burden.