‘No hike in express bus economy fare during Raya period’
KUCHING: Bus operators in Sarawak will not raise their express bus economy ticket fare during this Hari Raya season, assures Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak chairman Michael Kong.
He said the matter was raised by Sarawak Bus Transport Companies Association (SBTCA) right before Chinese New Year, but it was decided that it was not suitable to be implemented in Sarawak.
“So, CVLB Sarawak wrote to SBTCA to inform this.
“The same decision will apply for Hari Raya as well,” he said when contacted via WhatsApp yesterday.
On Thursday, Kong had said that he was ready to hear the views from SBTCA members upon a meeting on Monday, when asked to comment about the federal cabinet’s decision to raise the economy category bus fare by 10 per cent for the period of April 4 to 17.
Separately, the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) in a press statement issued in Kuala Lumpur said it had opened the application for a Temporary Operator Licence (LPS) to ensure sufficient bus services in connection with Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration next month and that the surcharge of RM0.009 per kilometre would increase the bus fare rate to RM0.102 per kilometre.
Applications for the LPS are now open to all eligible bus operators, until the April 2 deadline, to accommodate the increase in passengers returning to their hometowns and villages during this festive season.
Yesterday, Kong clarified that an internal engagement was carried out on Monday with SBTCA on the implementation of the GPS system for bus express and also on the Interim Stage Bus Support Fund (ISBSF) programme with regard to the RM1 bus fare.
He also clarified that the federal cabinet’s decision was not ‘a blanket decision’ for all buses.
“What was allowed by the cabinet was specific for Peninsular Malaysia,” he pointed out.