THE Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) project is still on hold pending decision on the state government proposal to the federal government to switch from diesel-powered to electric buses.
In his winding-up speech yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister and Infrastructure Development and Transportation Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said his ministry was waiting for feedback on the proposal from the relevant federal authority.
Kuching is one of five cities in the country selected for the SBST project.
He said if the proposal was accepted and a reply to that effect was received, the SBST project would take off by the end of the year.
According to Masing, the state government has proposed for the use of 100% electric buses instead for the programme in Kuching City. The original plan was to use130 diesel buses plying a total distance of 560km on the 27 routes, comprising 15 core routes and 12 intermediate routes.
The contract agreement was signed on Nov 22, 2017 between the Malaysia Government represented by the Prime Minister’s Department and Konsortium Bas Bandaraya Kuching (KBBK) Sdn Bhd, an amalgamation of companies registered in the Sarawak.
Konsortium Bas Bandaraya Kuching (KBBK) Sdn Bhd is expected to implement the programme within five years from the date of the contractual agreement.
Masing said the new Pakatan Harapan government was presently reviewing and reassessing all applicable procurement contracts as described in a circular from the Ministry of Finance dated last June 29.
“The state government is committed to meeting the objectives of the SBST, which is to reduce traffic congestion and to improve reliability and efficiency of the existing bus services,” he added.
