KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Lalaport at Bukit Bintang City Centre is close to receiving official approval as a licensed public transport hub, with the Transport Ministry aiming to issue its licence as early as February.
He said the ministry was working closely with all relevant parties to expedite the licensing process, adding that Lalaport was almost fully ready.
“In terms of licensing, the ministry is working closely with all relevant parties including the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), to expedite the process.
“Lalaport is almost fully ready and the licence is expected to be issued as early as February. Other locations such as One Utama in Petaling Jaya, IOI City Mall in Putrajaya and Sunway Pyramid will require additional time to complete facility upgrades,” he told reporters at a press conference here today.
He said approval from the local authority, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, is required, and APAD is ready to issue licences once all conditions have been met.
Loke also confirmed that express bus operators running services between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore had earlier been granted a three-month grace period to continue operating at existing roadside locations without enforcement action.
The move, he said, was intended to give operators time to transition to safer and properly designed terminals or transport hubs once they were ready.
“At present, only one or two operators have begun operating from Lalaport, with three to four operators expected to relocate there in due course.
“The primary focus is on operators that previously stopped at Berjaya Times Square and Chorus Hotel, both of which have been deemed unsuitable, particularly due to traffic congestion and passenger safety concerns,” he added.
However, Loke said all proposed sites would need to upgrade their facilities and meet safety requirements before licences could be issued.
Among the locations reviewed so far, he explained Lalaport was found to be the most ready and suitable, particularly for Kuala Lumpur–Singapore express services.
Loke stressed that bus operators were not being forced to relocate to a single location. Instead, they were given multiple options, including Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, Terminal Bersepadu Gombak, IOI City Mall and One Utama, provided the locations met design, safety and licensing standards.
However, he emphasised that operators would no longer be allowed to stop at unauthorised roadside locations.
“For the time being, Berjaya Times Square and Chorus Hotel are still allowed to operate under a temporary moratorium. Claims that the ministry has imposed an immediate shutdown are inaccurate.
“Operations are permitted to continue while new facilities are being completed, but operators will be required to relocate once the hubs are fully operational,” he added.
Loke explained that Lalaport was intended to serve a different segment from major terminals such as Terminal Bersepadu Selatan and Terminal Bersepadu Gombak.
While the latter focus on domestic long-distance routes to the north and east coast, Lalaport is designed specifically for Kuala Lumpur–Singapore services to attract tourists directly into the city centre.
