Masing shows reporters his winding-up speech for the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Transportation.
The contract terms and conditions are ready for further negotiations and agreement between the stakeholders, but unfortunately the signing of the contract has hit a technical bump.
The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) had no locus standi to enter into a contract agreement in Sarawak as its jurisdiction was limited to Peninsular Malaysia, said Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation yesterday.
“The government is now considering an alternative arrangement for the contract agreement to be entered into between the Prime Minister’s Department, in representing the government, and the network operator with my ministry, as the government’s authorised representative to monitor and supervise the contract.”
The rides would not be free, though. The bus fares would be subsidised on a user pay concept.
“We should not advocate free bus service,” said Masing, who is also deputy chief minister, in his winding-up speech yesterday.
The SBST is a nationwide programme, and Kuching is among seven cities in the country picked for the project.
“If this pilot project is successful, we will strive to replicate it in Miri, Sibu and Bintulu in stages.”
Masing said the government was expected to spend about RM60 million per year for the SBST programme in Kuching and several routes in Samarahan. This means if all four cities and towns were included, the amount would be about RM240 million annually.
Under the SBST, the government would determine and fix the number and type of buses and the bus routes and frequency of services.
The government would then appoint and pay a network operator to deliver the services in terms of vehicle-km.
“In return, the government will receive the fare box revenue collected from the passengers using the bus services.”
The SBST project in Kuching would cover about 500km, consisting of 15 trunk routes and 12 feeder routes with 130 new buses. The bus frequency would range from 15 minutes to an hour’s interval, depending on the route.
“The five existing stage bus operators in Kuching have formed a consortium called Konsortium BBK Sdn Bhd as the network operator.”
Masing said joint verification of routes had been conducted to determine the viability and travel time for each of the routes.
“We anticipate that before the end of this year, the agreement could be signed and operation commence at end of 2017,” he said, explaining that it might take nearly one year for the buses to be fitted with special gadgets and equipment before they became operational.
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