Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has revealed that a support fund of RM1 billion by the government has been allocated over the past 10 years to help the operation of stage buses throughout Malaysia. These include the Stage Bus Service Transformation Programme (SBST) and the Interim Stage Bus Support Fund (ISBSF) via the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
As reported by Bernama, the Transport Minister further elaborated that ISBSF was a temporary measure to help bus operators who are affected by increasing operating costs. The fund has since been changed and rebranded by APAD.
Dr Wee asserted,
“ISBSF acts as a temporary measure to help bus operators who are affected by the increase in operating costs. Now we have changed to a new transformation and rebranding process like SBST by using MyBAS and until today the government has spent RM1 billion,”
The Transport Minister was quoted as saying the above when launching the E-Mutiara Inter Village Bus Service (MRD) in Tunjong, Kota Bharu yesterday. He also said that a total of 27 minibuses have been operating along 13 MRD routes in Kelantan since 1 February 2022.
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