KOTA KINABALU: The state government has decided to allow express buses in Sabah to operate effective tomorrow (March 14).
This was announced in a daily press release today, which stated that passengers are however required to obtain police permit before travelling, in case of zone-crossing.
The other standard operating procedures (SOP) for this new announcement includes 50 per cent capacity, wearing face mask all the time, taking temperature, reducing interactions, using MySejahtera check-in and encouraging online ticket purchases.
Express bus operators are also required to comply with the SOP and prepare necessary temperature screening devices and sanitisers.
Earlier this month, the Sabah Express Bus Operators and Drivers Association (Seboc) threatened to hold a demonstration in front of the Chief Minister’s Office if the inter-district travel ban in the state is not lifted.
Its president, Datuk Donald Hanafi, said the association had decided to hold the demonstration which would see more than 100 buses along with their drivers and personnel gathering at the building here.
“If the State Government ignores or refuses to discuss with the association, then a demonstration in front of the Chief Minister’s Office will be held to open the eyes of the state government,” he said in a statement.
He revealed that the financial loss suffered by bus operators and drivers in Sabah had severely worsened due to the ban up to the point where some of them could not even sustain themselves anymore due to the loss of income.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had previously announced that the inter-district travel ban in the entire country would be lifted, except in Sabah.
He later explained that the decision was made based on a request from the State Government.
However, the decision not to lift the ban in Sabah had drawn criticisms from certain quarters in the state.
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