PETALING JAYA: Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB), which will suspend its Cityliner bus services in Selangor effective today, will only resume its services if the state government offers it a “lifeline”.
KTB executive director Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said losses incurred by the consortium were too massive for it to continue.
“We are losing about RM8mil a year in Selangor. We appeal to the state government to take the necessary measures to help us,” he told The Star.
Up to 80,000 commuters in Selangor will be hit by Cityliner's suspension of services.
Tengku Hasmadi said KTB had tried to engage with the Selangor government from as early as last year but had received very slow response and feedback.
“Our first letter was sent to the Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) in May 2010 but we received no response at all.
“Our last letter to the Selangor government was sent on Nov 1 and we had received no response until Dec 1,” he said, adding that letters were also sent to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
He said on Dec 1, KTB forwarded several proposals to Khalid and other officials in a meeting.
“They pledged to come back to us and we extended the bus service for 10 days (from Dec 1),” he added.
Tengku Hasmadi said the current model of stage bus operations, where a private or government-linked consortium wholly shouldered the responsibility of running the business, was not working out well.
“RapidKL is also facing losses but they have the benefit of using taxpayer's money to sustain their operations.
“This is not fair,” said Tengku Hasmadi, adding that such a practice smacked of double standards.
He said the Federal or state governments should subsidise the fixed low fares, which was one of the main reasons for the heavy losses. (The fares are fixed and controlled by the Government.)
“Bus fares have only gone up a mere 50 sen over the last 30 years but the price of diesel has gone up about 700%,” he pointed out.
Tengku Hasmadi said if the authorities felt that the stage bus service was essential but needed to be affordable, it has to be provided and funded by the Government.
Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chief operating officer Azahar Ahmad said the commission was very concerned over the matter and would submit the necessary recommendations to the National Economic Council soon.
Selangor Investment, Trade and Industry Committee chairman Teresa Kok was not available for comment.
Meanwhile, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (Prasarana) expects to complete negotiations with two private bus companies to share routes and infrastructure in the Klang Valley within three months.
Prasarana group managing director Datuk Shahril Mokhtar said the doors were not closed for negotiations on possible collaboration with other bus companies plying Klang Valley routes.
“The mechanism of the collaboration is being worked out now,” Shahril said after signing a collective agreement with the RapidKL workers union yesterday.
The two private bus companies currently in negotiations with Prasarana, which operates RapidKL, are Setara Jaya Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Len Seng Sdn Bhd.
Shahril said SPAD was also working hard to assist by coming up with a viable code-sharing mechanism.
“For example, RapidKL has 12 buses plying the KL and Bukit Belacan route while another operator has 10 buses.
“Both operators can agree to a common timetable and scheduling. This way, there will be healthy competition,” he explained.
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