KUCHING, July 26: Minister for Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin and the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching His Excellency Xing Weiping, inspected the hydrogen bus trial operation here yesterday to ensure that the Sarawak government’s free bus service is in good working order, safe to use, and meets operating standards.
According to a Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) report, Lee wanted to see and experience for himself the most recent condition of the hydrogen bus as it had been used for a trial period of nearly three years up until the present.
“I was informed that the distance (travelled) had exceeded 58,000 kilometres and that this bus was found to have no problems,” he told reporters after boarding the hydrogen bus.
At the same time, Lee praised the ability of existing local technicians to maintain the safety, quality, and reliability of the bus service without the assistance of technicians from China throughout the country previously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Technicians in Sarawak contact this bus factory in China on a regular basis, and they manage to maintain safety guarantees for users while demonstrating that the local workforce is comparable to the skilled workforce abroad,” he added.
Meanwhile, Xing stated in an interview that the experience of riding the hydrogen bus exceeded his expectations because he found the 50-minute journey comfortable and peaceful.
“I believe the Sarawak government made the correct decision in implementing this hydrogen transportation system.
“We will continue to support and focus on this project while maintaining close relations with the Sarawak Ministry of Transport and the Sarawak government in general,” he said.
Earlier, Lee and Xing had the opportunity to take a trip on the said bus as it travelled along the ‘City Centre Heritage Circle’ route.
The route goes through each stop on the hydrogen bus’s daily route, which the bus plus from 7am to 7pm.
Also present were Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd chief executive officer (CEO) Mazli Mustaffa and Sarawak Ministry of Transport permanent secretary Datu Buckland Bangik. — DayakDaily
