KUCHING, July 15 — Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg launched today a free bus service to ferry some 3,000 students from 32 schools in Kuching and Padawan districts.
The free service, courtesy of Yayasan Sarawak, will start when schools in the two districts reopen on August 3 and will be expanded to other towns in future.
“I hope there will be no more positive cases of Covid-19 in Kuching and Padawan districts by then,” the chief minister said.
Schools in Kuching, Padawan and Kota Samarahan districts postponed their reopening from July 15 to August 3 due to the concerns over the rise of positive cases in Kuching district.
The three districts are sharing common borders.
Abang Johari said the free bus service is for all students, whether poor or rich.
“The state government initiated this free service to all students, especially those who are from the poor families,” he said, adding that the aim was to reduce the financial burden on their parents.
He said the state government is allocating RM5 million for the bus free service.
He also asked the students to study hard as Yayasan Sarawak is providing free textbooks for them, study loans and scholarships up to tertiary level.
Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang said the free bus service was supposed to be launched in March but was postponed due to the movement control order to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Schools were among the places closed for several months and are being reopened gradually according to grades, starting with those sitting for public examinations.
Among those present at the launch were Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian and Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
