KUCHING, Dec 31 — Sarawak state Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin today said his ministry will announce the formation of a public transportation committee whose members will consist of relevant departments, agencies and those from the transportation industry, next month.

“One of the committee’s functions is to seek the views and obtain feedback from the various transportation stakeholders which will be useful in our planning and implementation of the state public transportation system,” he said in his New Year’s message

He said traffic studies, the drawing up of master plans and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project are some of the priority areas of the public transportation system.

“The implementation of the Sarawak Bus Service Transformation (SBST) in Kuching under a consortium of bus companies will also be one of the projects in 2020,” Lee said, adding that Kuching is one of the five cities in the country selected for the SBST.  

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He said he met his federal counterpart Anthony Loke last month and the SBST project was one of the subject matters discussed for implementation in 2020.

Lee said his ministry has been tasked with a strategic role in planning and implementing an integrated, reliable, affordable, safe and eco-friendly public transportation system  

“We will work very closely with the relevant stakeholders,” he said.

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Lee, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) vice president and Senadin state assemblyman, expressed hope that Sarawak continue to be blessed with a dynamic, people-centric and stable government where unity, peace, harmony, mutual respect and understanding will always prevail among its people of various races, cultures and religions.

“For the year 2020, it is imperative for us in Sarawak to continue to strengthen our Sarawakian spirit of unity and solidarity to safeguard our rights, interests and privileges,” he said.