KUCHING: If all goes well, there is a possibility that Majlis Amanah Rakyat’s (MARA) transportation arm, MARA Liner, might extend its stage bus services to Sarawak.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the company’s stage and express bus services will ply the Sabah and Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway.
But the services will depend on the outcome of a feasibility study to be conducted by the transport company.
“This stage and express bus services will not only operate along the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak but also extend to Tawau in Sabah, passing through Brunei,” he said at a press conference after attending the Coordination Meeting of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) with the Sarawak government at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday (July 3).
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), said the project would be a game changer, as it would provide enhanced accessibility for people in rural areas.
He said even though the buses might not generate profits, they would have a positive social impact on the community.
Responding to a question, he said the pilot project for the stage bus service in Sarawak was expected to begin in Kampung Semilang Baredek in Samarahan.
Deputy Minister of KKDW Datuk Rubiah Wang, who attended the meeting, said the bus services would also cover areas in the Samarahan and Santubong parliamentary constituencies.
Meanwhile, KKWD said in a statement that the project was currently undergoing a final study, pilot and data collection phase which would begin next month.
Next, the integrated transport project is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2023.
On another note, Ahmad Zahid said it was agreed that the water supply projects costing RM50 million and below would be implemented by the State Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB).
“This is the directive of the Prime Minister where projects under RM50 million will be handed over to the state government for implementation.
“And for water supply projects in the rural areas, it has been decided today that it will be implemented by JBALB,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid said the approach was important and would benefit Sarawakians.
Earlier, the coordinating meeting discussed the latest status of projects that have been completed in Sarawak involving several state government agencies.
So far, KKDW has spent RM526 million for infrastructure development projects in Sarawak.
As of June 27 this year, among the projects that have been implemented are five rural road projects involving an allocation of RM170.2 million; 14 rural water supply projects – RM302.9 million; and 294 Rural Road Connectivity (JPD) projects and Social Amenities Programme (PAMS) – RM52.9 million.
In addition, a total of 410 houses under the Hardcore Poor Housing Programme (PPRT) have been completed while 2,457 houses have been repaired throughout Sarawak as of June 15 this year. The remaining 150 more PPRT houses and 369 public houses will be repaired before the end of the year.
