By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 23: The Sarawak Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (LPKP) has clarified that none of the 12 buses provided under a free school transport initiative for Chung Hua Primary School No. 6 has obtained the required School Bus Licence.
Its chairman Michael Kong Feng Nian said that to date, no application has been submitted to LPKP Sarawak for licences covering any of the buses involved in the programme.
“From our understanding, the free school bus initiative was launched on Jan 12, 2026.
“Since its commencement, none of these buses has been issued with the required school bus licences, and they continue to operate without proper authorisation,” he said in a statement today.
He stressed that the requirement for a School Bus Licence is not a mere formality but a critical safeguard to ensure passenger safety, particularly for school children.
“Before any licence is issued, the vehicle must undergo proper inspection, the driver must possess a valid Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence, which carries stricter requirements than an ordinary driving licence, and the vehicle must be adequately covered by insurance,” he explained.
Kong also revealed that an accident involving an unlicensed school bus occurred this morning at Taman Samarindah while ferrying students.
“In such a situation, any insurance claims will be denied because the bus operator was operating unlawfully without the necessary licences.
“Fortunately, no children were seriously injured in this morning’s incident,” he said, adding that the case highlights the importance of proper licensing.
He noted that hundreds of school bus operators across Sarawak have complied with licensing requirements and were only allowed to operate after obtaining approval from LPKP.
“The application process is neither overly complex nor burdensome,” he said, pointing out that the ISPKP system introduced in November 2023 enables operators to apply directly without third parties.
Kong emphasised that there is no justification for any operator, including those under the initiative led by Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, to be exempted from legal requirements.
While acknowledging and supporting efforts to provide free transportation for students, he said such initiatives must not come at the expense of safety or compliance with the law.
He urged See to take immediate steps to ensure all operators under the programme submit their licence applications without further delay.
“On the part of LPKP Sarawak, I promise to give full cooperation to this initiative. Once we receive the applications, we will take immediate steps to process them to regularise the programme,” he added.
Yesterday (April 22), Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen questioned the compliance status of the 12 free school buses serving Chung Hua Primary School No.6 Kuching, claiming that the vehicles have yet to obtain the required licence from the LPKP despite being in operation since Jan 12. — DayakDaily
