MIRI: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak vice-chairperson Voon Shiak Ni welcomes Sarawak government’s initiative of providing free schoolbus service in Kuching, set to commence next year.
Describing it as ‘good news’, she said the availability of free bus service would ease the financial burden off families of many school-going children, in view of the high costs of transportation these days.
In tabling the 2020 State Budget in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Monday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the free bus service for school-children would be introduced in Kuching next year based on the ‘hop-on, hop-off’ concept – the students could ‘hop on’ the bus at any point along the route, and ‘hop off’ at their respective schools.
“I believe the availability of free public bus services is something that the people are waiting for as what has been done in Selangor.
“We hope to see that the free bus service for school-children be implemented as soon as possible and measures would be taken to sustain the service for the years to come, and not just as a short-term measure.
“Once started, the sustainability and maintenance are crucial for the continuity of the service,” Voon said in a statement issued in response to the mention of the move under the Sarawak budget y.
On the Chief Minister’s proposal to upgrade public transportation in Sarawak, which would include Light Rail Transit (LRT), electric buses and hydrogen buses, Voon observed that these proposals had yet to reach full implementation and the people have yet to enjoy the services.
Back on the free schoolbus service, she remarked: “We would like to know the funds allocated for the free schoolbus service project, the details of the operation and also the safety measures in place for the ‘hop-on, hop-off’ concept.”