Association relieved final decision made that SBST project only open to S’wak stage bus operators

KUCHING (Jan 11): The federal government has made the final decision that only Sarawak stage bus operators can participate in the Kuching Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) project, said the Sarawak Bus Transport Companies Association honorary secretary William Chan.

Previously, he added, stage bus operators in the state had expressed concerns that the federal government would be opening the project to companies from Peninsular Malaysia.

“When we first received news on the open policy for the SBST project, we immediately sought the help of our Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, who subsequently put up a strong opposing stand during his last meeting with federal minister Anthony Loke for the federal government to reconsider the said policy which Loke has verbally agreed to rescind.”

However, Chan said the association had recently received a letter from the federal Ministry of Transport stating the intention to continue to open the project to the participation of non-Sarawakian companies.

He said they were now relieved that the final decision on the matter had been made that only local stage bus operators are allowed to participate after the association secured a sit-down discussion with Loke during his visit to the state recently.

On a related matter, Chan said the association was also pleasantly surprised the federal government will be sponsoring the training of 300 local new drivers to ease the shortage of bus drivers in Sarawak.

“On that note, we urge the government to expedite opening more testing centres for Bus Driver PSV Licence besides Kuching as promised in the meeting for our people.”

Meanwhile, he hoped the federal government would consider revising the bus fares in the state as the last adjustment was made in 2009, and since then, operating costs had escalated beyond the current fares could cover.

Nonetheless, Chan expressed his gratitude to both Loke and Lee for contributing immensely in resolving the issues faced by the bus transport industry in the state.