Sarawak Metro awards RM122 mln contract for hydrogen bus supply to JV company

KUCHING (Oct 25): Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd (Sarawak Metro) has awarded a contract worth over RM122 million to a joint venture (JV) company comprising SKS Coachbuilders Sdn Bhd and Sun Credit Sdn Bhd for the supply of hydrogen-powered feeder buses.

The JV company will design and manufacture, among others, 55 single deck hydrogen fuel cell feeder buses. “The contract, valued at RM122.4 million including options, will be executed over 43 months,” Sarawak Metro said in a statement today.

The hydrogen-powered feeder buses will support the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system network under the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) project, in providing first and last-mile connectivity.

The contract signing ceremony was held here on Thursday with Sarawak Metro represented by its chief executive officer (CEO) Mazli Mustaffa, while SKS Coachbuilders director Muhamad Zaidi Toha and Sun Credit chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai signed for the JV company. The ceremony was witnessed by SKS Coachbuilders CEO Datuk Roy Soo Kum Kin and Sun Credit director Timothy Lim Teng.

Mazli said the award of this contract represents a significant step towards building a more reliable, convenient and eco-friendly public transport network in Kuching. “To the JV company, let us work together towards this goal for the betterment of Sarawak’s public transportation system,” he added.

A total of six tender submissions were received at the close of the tender exercise on July 26 this year.

Sarawak Metro, a subsidiary of the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), is tasked with the implementation, operation, and maintenance of the KUTS project, which is under the purview of the Sarawak Transport Ministry. The backbone of the KUTS project is the introduction of zero-emission Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) hydrogen vehicles that would move on rubber tyres and operate on dedicated trackless lanes.

The lanes will mostly be “at-grade” (road level) while certain sections of the alignment will be elevated.

The ART operation will be supported by a network of feeder buses, which will also consist of hydrogen-powered vehicles to offer the ‘first mile and last mile’ connectivity for commuters.

The move to use hydrogen is in line with the Sarawak government’s aspirations to advance the hydrogen economy and decarbonise public transport in Sarawak. – Bernama