DAP Sarawak demands answers on ‘bayar buta’ spending after hydrogen buses grounded

Chong showing the written reply on hydrogen buses from the Ministry of Transport Sarawak on March 27, 2026.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, March 27: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen has demanded an explanation from the Sarawak Ministry of Transport over why three hydrogen-powered buses, costing millions of ringgit, have been suspended since August 2025, raising concerns over transparency and public accountability.

Chong questioned the rationale behind halting the buses’ services, which were launched in 2020, and called on the ministry to disclose both the total acquisition and operational costs incurred to date.

“Why were the three hydrogen buses suspended since August 2025? What is the total expenditure, including maintenance and operational costs, paid by the State government thus far?” he asked in a statement today.

He revealed that he had previously submitted a question during the November 2025 Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting seeking details on the acquisition and operational costs of the buses.

According to Chong, the reply he received this year from the Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin stated that each bus cost less than RM1.5 million to acquire.

However, he said the response failed to provide a clear breakdown of operational expenses, merely noting that the six-year trial was government-subsidised, with hydrogen fuel supplied via the Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) hydrogen plant and refuelling station.

Chong, who is also Padungan assemblyman, criticised the response as lacking transparency, describing it as reflective of “ineptitude, non-transparency and unaccountability” within the ministry.

He questioned the unusually long six-year trial period for the hydrogen bus project, arguing that such a duration was excessive for assessing both technical feasibility and operational infrastructure.

“Six years to test the technical feasibility of a bus, that is unheard of. Six years is also way too long for operational and infrastructural assessments,” he said.

Chong further pointed out that even if hydrogen fuel was supplied by SEB, costs were still incurred by the State-owned company and should be disclosed, especially as public funds were ultimately involved.

“Are the operational costs of these three hydrogen buses so high that the State government does not dare to disclose the figure to the public? The fact that all these operational costs are borne by the State government and SEB (a State government-owned company) make it even more pertinent that the Sarawak Ministry of Transport to disclose the costs. Otherwise, the people of Sarawak will just be paying blindly (bayar buta) for these hydrogen buses,” he added.

Chong stressed that the Ministry of Transport must explain the sudden suspension of the buses’ services, suggesting possible reasons such as high operational costs or unresolved technical issues.

“Sarawakians deserve to know the answer,” he said. — DayakDaily