Transport Ministry reviewing RM1 bus fare subsidy, says Lee

KUCHING (Nov 27): The Transport Ministry is currently reviewing the implementation of the RM1 bus far subsidy due to the increase in operating costs and expenditure, said its minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.

He said a more effective model will be introduced for the people of Sarawak.

“Since the implementation of this subsidy in May 2020, bus ridership has increased from approximately 200,000 passengers per month in 2020 to an average of 350,000 passengers per month in 2023.

“This indicates a good response from the people in using public bus transport for their daily commute, particularly the B40 group,” he said in his ministerial winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly today.

He revealed one of the positive impacts of the subsidy programme was that the number of stage buses operating in Sarawak has increased by 15 per cent from 107 buses in 2020 to 124 buses in 2023.

He added with more buses on the roads, commuters can expect shorter waiting times and more frequencies – making public transport a more reliable, convenient and attractive option.

Apart from the RM1 subsidy, Lee also commented on the Free School Bus programme introduced in July 2020, which has benefitted students from the B40 group too.

“As of Oct 31 this year, a total of 6,334 students from 23 schools in Kuching, Miri (27) and Sibu (6) divisions have participated in this programme,” he said.

Lee said the introduction of Yayasan Sarawak’s digitalised electronic card ‘My Yayasan System’ in Kuching and Miri divisions have helped it to track the actual number of students in this programme who are from the B40 group.

Meanwhile, in a press conference after his speech, he revealed there will be two buses plying the Kuching-Singkawang route soon.

The bus service will be another land public transport option connecting Sarawak to the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, adding to the existing one namely the Kuching-Pontianak route.