More buses to cover more routes

By NIK KHUSAIRI IBRAHIM

ALTHOUGH Rapid Penang operations will not be profitable, the Finance Ministry will continue to provide more buses to serve as many routes.

Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the 150 buses allocated under the first and second phases were enough to provide extensive coverage, especially on the mainland.

“We will also look into providing more buses to cover as many routes as possible.

“The government will ensure Rapid Penang provides efficient services for the benefit of the people.

“It will continue servicing the non-profitable routes as the ultimate aim is to provide greater accessibility for the people,” he said.

Dr Hilmi, who is also Balik Pulau MP, said this after distributing flyers on Rapid Penang schedules and routes in Pekan Kongsi in Balik Pulau yesterday.

Info time: Muhammad Farid briefing Fang Sit Mooi on Rapid Penang bus routes in the presence of Dr Hilmi.

Also present was Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad.

Dr Hilmi and his team walked for about two kilometres from Pekan Kongsi to the new bus station in Jalan Tun Sardon to distribute the flyers.

Later, they hopped onto a Rapid Penang coach plying the Balik Pulau town.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will launch the Rapid Penang bus services tomorrow.

Dr Hilmi said even RapidKL was not making profit.

“But train services are benefiting from RapidKL services.

“We will look into ways of cross-subsidising Rapid Penang services through such integrated public transportation services,” he said.

Noting that routes plied by Rapid Penang were not complete, Dr Hilmi said more areas would be covered after the second phase of implementation in December.

“Our aim is to ensure the outskirts are also well-connected,” he said, adding that request for more routes would be studied on case-by-case basis.

Muhammad Farid said he would request Rapid Penang to service the Balik Pulau-Paya Terubong route.

Rapid Penang would be plying from Balik Pulau to George Town through Bayan Baru. It will also be plying Balik Pulau-Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau Pantai Aceh routes.

SOURCE: The Star Online (North)