KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — The Ministry of Transport will consider calls by private express bus operators to liberalise fares as part of a comprehensive new policy aimed to revamp a troubled industry dogged by poor safety track record.
Its minister Anthony Loke told the Semenanjung Malaysia Malay Express Bus Entrepreneurs Association (Pembawa) at its annual general assembly today that the new policy will be “balanced” and “holistic” to ensure operators remain profitable, while tightening safety and regulation.
“I know your main demand is to loosen up the fares pricing system or change the current system of controlled prices.
“I would like to say we understand your concerns and we do not reject outright your proposal but each proposal will have its pros and cons and if say we liberalise fares, will it bring the industry more benefit for the operators and passengers?
“That is something we will balance… if we open up the industry we have to ensure it does not place burden on users,” Loke said in his first address to Pembawa as transport minister.
An audio recording of his speech was made available to Malay Mail.
Currently, the fares are regulated, which operators claimed affect their profit and force them to cut corners like recycling parts or putting drivers on longer shifts as they aim to slash costs.
Exhausted drivers were found to be the primary cause for most lethal crashes involving private express buses in the past.
But raising ticket prices will likely trigger consumer backlash, more so since this newly elected Pakatan Harapan administration had made cheap public transit a key election pledge prior to its surprise win at the May 9 polls.
Loke provided scant details about the new policy or as to how his ministry aims to balance both industry and users’ demands, but acknowledged how important profitability is to an efficient bus services.
“We are looking at a model where operators can set a price that will ensure good returns but at the same time we must balance it with aspects of safety, good services, efficiency and so on.
“So the policy we introduce must be win-win, one that can solve long standing issues,” he said.
