KUCHING, Dec 9: Ministry of Transport to implement Awareness Behavioural Change (ABC) Programme next year to encourage more urban people to use public bus transport for mobility.
Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin revealed the ABC Programme aimed to create awareness, provide information and knowledge to the public on the many benefits of travel by buses.
“I am pleased to say that in 2021, there will be programmes and events to rejuvenate and enhance the state bus services through the implementation of the ABC Programme.
“The ultimate aim of my Ministry is to get more and more people to switch to urban public bus transport as their preferred choice for urban mobility,” he said in a statement today following a meeting with Sarawak Bus Companies Association (SBCA) yesterday (Dec 8).
Increasing public transport usage, Lee believes Sarawak can defeat the daily traffic snarl and congestion on the streets as well as in residential arterial roads.
“This will also help reduce pollution from tailpipes and lessen noise generated from the heavy traffic,” he added.
The RM1 Flat Rate Bus Fare Programme, he revealed, has received an overwhelming response from the public as exemplified by the increase in total ridership in Sarawak from 12,657 in the month of May to 206,470 in October.
The bus service registered a total cumulative ridership of 814,958 people from May 2020 until October 2020 in Sarawak.
Lee thus urged the bus owners to give their fullest support and cooperation to the Ministry in 2021 so as to facilitate and assist in achieving more success in organising the events and activities next year.
“Our Ministry’s aspiration for stage bus service is to make public bus transport the preferred mode of urban transport for urban mobility in the years to come in Sarawak,” he emphasised.
Ministry advisor Dr Lawrence Tseu, permanent secretary to the Ministry Datu Buckland Bangik, SBCA chairman Sazali Morshidi and its secretary William Chan, as well as representatives from Biaramas Express, Eva Express, Sungai Merah Bus Co., Lanang Road Bus, Teku Road Bus, Borneo Amalgamated Transport Co., City Public Link Bus Service and Miri Transport Co, were present. – DayakDaily
