FEDERAL Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad has ordered bus company Nadi Putra to resolve the dispute with its drivers quickly so that it can resume plying the routes in Putrajaya.



Speaking to reporters in Parliament today, Khalid said the company was presently not able to operate due to the dispute with its drivers.



Its buses stopped operating completely yesterday (Aug 13).



“I was told they (drivers) refused to work, hence service had to be suspended," he said.



Khalid admitted he was not very clear on the details, but had heard that there were allegations of abuse of power and mismanagement by Nadi Putra.



“A few staff from the (bus company) had their services terminated, and the bus drivers are standing in solidarity with them and refusing to drive," he said.



“The management denies this and said the termination of the workers was just a coincidence," he said.



“In any case, there are two sides to a story, so I have asked both the company and PPj (Putrajaya Corporation, the local authority) to resolve the matter," he said.



Khalid said the company, a subsidiary of PPj before it was privatised last year, had said they were unable to perform due to certain promises not being kept (by the previous government).



“I hope PPj can work with Nadi Putra and resolve the matter and resume service as soon as possible," he said.



According to Khalid, he would need to re-look Nadi Putra’s terms to see if a review was possible.

However, for now, there should be no compromise on the service they were expected to provide.



He added that there had been a drop in standards even before the new government took over.



Star Metro had earlier reported on the deteriorating bus service and how residents had to put up with a depot full of abandoned buses, which were an eyesore.



Pengangkutan Awam Putrajaya Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd (PAPTT), better known by the moniker Nadi Putra, was a subsidiary of Putrajaya Corporation before it was sold to GETS Global Bhd, formerly known as Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung Sdn Bhd.