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Ministry to help Sibu bus companies

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Lee took a public bus early yesterday morning to experience first-hand the problem faced by bus companies.

SIBU: The Ministry of Transport will be looking into ways to help bus companies here stay afloat.

Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin said the companies were suffering losses due to the declining number of passengers over the years.

“More people are having their own transport, and the bus companies are also facing competition from illegal van and e-hailing services,” he told the press yesterday, adding that five companies operated about 200 buses in the municipality area.

“But today, there are only three companies left with only 39 buses running.”

“We want these bus services to continue, so we have to find an immediate solution before we can move on to the next phase,” Lee said.

He stressed that there were still people who preferred to take the bus.

“Bus services in the town area are still relevant, especially for those from the low-income group.”

Sibu, he said, was not the only place facing a reduced number of people using the bus as “Kuching and Miri are experiencing the same thing.”

Four bus companies operating in Kuching have only 28 buses plying the routes compared to more than 200 buses previously.

In Miri, there are only about 20 buses plying routes in the city.

“In Bintulu, there are no more buses going around town as all bus companies have stopped operations since 2018.

“So, my ministry is trying to study on how we can assist. The bus companies are also experiencing a shortage of bus drivers because getting the bus driver’s licence is not cheap,” Lee said, adding that the ministry would work with relevant agencies to ensure that bus services continued.

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