KOTA SAMARAHAN: Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has assured that BAS.MY fares will remain unchanged despite global economic uncertainties, while highlighting that the government had already reduced the unlimited monthly travel pass from RM50 to RM30 to encourage greater use of public transport.
He said concession card holders, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), school students, Form Six students and university students, can continue enjoying free rides under the BAS.MY programme.
The BAS.MY Unlimited 30-Day Pass fare has been reduced from RM50 to RM30 per month specifically for Malaysian citizens, effective from November 2025.
At today’s (May 9) event, he said this special priviledge also applies to Form 6 students.
Speaking during the launch of six new BAS.MY Kuching routes here at Summer Mall today, Loke said the initiative had received encouraging response from the public, particularly students in the Samarahan area, including those from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
“We want to encourage more people, especially students, senior citizens and OKU groups, to register for the concession card and fully utilise the service,” he said.
He stressed that there was no reason for fares to increase as the government subsidises both fuel and operational costs under its contract model with bus operators.
“The government is not looking to profit from this service. We want more people to use public transport because it is an important and affordable alternative,” he added.
The BAS.MY programme has now been expanded to all state capitals nationwide under a standardised national branding and service model.
In Kuching, six new routes officially began operations, namely, Arang Road; Taman Hui Sing; Siburan; Summer Mall; Stutong Baru / Kuching Sentral; and Taman Sukma.
He added, this expansion would complement Sarawak’s upcoming Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system and improve integration of public transport services across Greater Kuching.
Loke explained, this initiative, introduced under the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme by the Ministry of Transport (MOT), is aimed at making public transportation more affordable and accessible to all groups, especially students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and university students.
“In another major announcement, the government has agreed to extend the BAS.MY concession card benefits to Form Six students and trainees from government-owned training institutes, throughout the country,” he said.
He added, this move is expected to benefit about 2,350 Form Six students and more than 3,200 trainees in Kuching and Samarahan.
“Eligible concession card holders, including school students aged 7 to 17, senior citizens, PwDs and university students, are entitled to free rides across all BAS.MY routes,” he added.
Since its launch on March 5, 2025, BAS.MY Kuching has recorded encouraging public response, with 847,644 passengers using the service as of April 2026.
A total of 15,283 users have also registered for the BAS.MY concession card.
The BAS.MY Kuching fleet currently comprises 56 new buses equipped with Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETM) for cashless payments, GPS real-time tracking systems, and six CCTV cameras in each bus to enhance passenger safety.
The service also places emphasis on inclusivity through the introduction of low-floor city buses designed for wheelchair accessibility.
“The expansion aims to improve access to residential areas, commercial centres, educational institutions, and public facilities while reducing traffic congestion and dependence on private vehicles,” he said.
He also revealed that the government is planning the second phase of BAS.MY expansion, focusing on secondary cities such as Sibu and Bintulu, in the near future.
