By Shikin Louis
LUNDU, Dec 19: Buses between Kuching and Singkawang are now operating with a ‘transfer’ at the Biawak-Aruk border here, pending approval for direct trips between the two cities.
Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the Kuching-Singkawang bus service, which commenced on Dec 1, is the second route after the success of the Kuching-Pontianak direct route.
However, he said, this new route requires passengers to transfer buses at the border.
“At the moment, our bus from Kuching (Bus Asia) will stop at the border where passengers have to hop onto another designated bus from Singkawang (Damri) to continue their journey.
“This is temporary because we are still waiting for Putrajaya’s approval to allow our buses to have a direct cross-border route between Kuching and Singkawang,” he said during the launching ceremony of Bus Asia-Damri’s Kuching-Singkawang new route at Biawak Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) here today.
During the transfer, passengers can opt to use vans provided to ferry them from Biawak CIQS (Sarawak) to Aruk Border Post (Indonesia) at RM5 fee. The distance between both posts is less than 1,000 metres.
Lee further said the two bus companies are currently operating the Kuching-Singkawang bus service for one trip daily.
He also said his Ministry and the Indonesian counterpart will look into the possibility of opening other cross-border routes.
The newly-opened route has recorded a total of 500 bus passengers to date.
At the same time, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching, Raden Sigit Witjaksono, hoped that the direct route between Kuching and Singkawang could be implemented as soon as possible.
“With this additional route after Kuching-Pontianak, we will have more bilateral interaction between Sarawak and West Kalimantan which would stimulate socioeconomic and trade activities in the future,” he said. — DayakDaily
