Lee (seated, centre) in a group photo at the meeting. Also in the photo are (from right, seatd) Sazali, Chan, the Ministry of Transport permanent secretary Datu Buckland Bangik and ministry advisor Dr Lawrence Tseu
KUCHING (Dec 9): The total ridership for stage bus services in Sarawak has increased after the RM1 flat rate bus fare programme was implemented statewide, said Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
He said this was exemplified by the increase in total ridership in Sarawak from 12,657 in the month of May 2020 to 206,470 in October 2020.
He also said the total cumulative ridership in Sarawak within those six months was 814,958.
For Kuching, he said the the number of ridership increased from 17,787 passengers in June 2020 to 65,291 passengers in October 2020 despite the programme in Kuching started a month later due to the Movement Control Order (MCO).
For Sibu, he said the ridership of 4,834 passengers in May 2020 increased to 76,895 passengers in five months, while the ridership in Miri also saw an increase from 7,823 passengers to 64,284 passengers within the same period.
“The feedback that I gathered from the Sarawak Bus Companies Association (SBCA) is that they fully support the RM1 Flat Rate Bus Fare programme and they were in consensus that this programme should continue as it does not only benefit their bus operation but greatly provides financial cushion to the lower income group who relies heavily on public bus transport.
“The SBCA is grateful to the state government for introducing this programme and they are very thankful to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the state government for this initiative,” he said in a statement issued following a meeting with SBCA yesterday.
Lee also said he advised members of SBCA during the meeting to increase the frequency of their bus services along the existing bus routes and to revive routes that had been approved but were abandoned due to poor response in the past.
“Again I suggested to the bus owners, that they could also open new routes as there are so many new residential areas being developed all over Kuching, Sibu and Miri. It is only through such proactive action that there is a better and wider coverage of bus routes in the state,” he added.
SBCA chairman Sazali Morshidi and secretary William Chan led the association during the meeting together with a group of members comprising owners of both both express bus and stage bus service throughout the state.
Lee said many issues were raised and most of these were under the purview of the federal government, such as deferment of loans and hire purchases provided by credit companies and the extension of use of buses from 10 to 15 years, citing that new technology will help enormously to improve bus safety among others.
“We have examined and supported these requests and for that reason, I have written to the Federal Minister for Transport, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong to give due consideration to the requests made by SBCA especially during this very challenging time when the assault of the Covid-19 pandemc on transport players is relentless.
“To date, I have not received any reply but I hope to hear favourably from the federal minister, especially during these trying times to lighten the financial burden of the bus transport owners,” he added.
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