Lau said bus fares have not been revised in the last 13 years despite the rising cost of operations. – File photo
SIBU (Nov 15): The Sarawak Bus Transport Company Association hopes the federal government will consider allowing them to revise bus fares.
Its advisor Lau Khing Seng said bus fares have not been revised in the last 13 years despite the rising cost of operations, leaving bus companies hard-pressed by the escalating costs.
“Since 2009 until now, bus fares have not been adjusted. We are hard-pressed by the high operations cost – expenses such as workers’ salaries have somewhat doubled following the implementation of minimum wage.
“We hope the government will hear our pleas and consider allowing us to revise bus fares as we are providing a service to the people, especially the lower income group,” he told The Borneo Post today.
Lau said adding to their woes is the sales tax imposed on imported tyres.
“Due to wear and tear, bus tyres have to be changed between one to two months’ time in the interest of safety. We have to change six tyres altogether for a bus – on top of paying for the tyres, we have to pay an additional RM300 to RM400 due to the sales tax,” he lamented.
Lau said there used to be some 30 bus companies operating in Sarawak previously, but now only 12 are in operation.
“The other 18 stopped operating as they could not stay afloat due to the rising cost of operations,” he said.
On another matter, Lau said he hoped the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) could consider allowing the association to set up information counters at the Jalan Maju bus station here.
He said this was pivotal to providing information to visitors, especially with direct flights from Singapore to Sibu starting next month.
“It is quite inconvenient for visitors as they have nowhere to check the bus schedule. Furthermore, some elderly folk may board the wrong bus if there is no information counter for them to check the schedule,” he explained.
Lau said this would just be a small counter manned by one staff member.
“If SMC can provide the plan and approval, the bus companies will construct counters on their own,” he said.