THE Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST), also known as the BAS.MY programme has carried over 405,999 passengers as of Nov 16 this year.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said the initiative, a collaboration between the state and Ministry of Transport Malaysia (MOTM), launched in March 2025 is supported by the BAS.MY journey planner mobile application.
He said the programme currently operates 56 new stage buses across 10 routes, including extensions into the Samarahan and Serian Divisions.
“Meanwhile, as of Nov 16, 13,409 MyBas50 transit passes and concession cards have been issued to students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (OKU) under the programme,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly today.
To further ease the financial burden on commuters, he said the monthly MyBas50 pass was reduced from RM50 to RM30 starting Nov 6 for Malaysians, allowing unlimited rides at just RM1 a day.
“Students, senior citizens and people with disabilities (PwDs) continue to travel free of charge, promoting greater accessibility and inclusion in the city’s public transport network while non-citizens pay the full fare,” he said.
In Miri, Lee said the city’s 14-unit New Smart Bus Services, which covers eight routes, has entered their second year of operation since Oct 2024, with the service has received strong support, recording over 946,558 riders as of Oct this year.
To further enhance service delivery, he said the Sarawak Smart Transport Application — Miri, launched on Nov 10 this year, provides commuters with live bus tracking and route information.
“The application also supports evidence-based policymaking by leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, including GPS routers for real-time bus location tracking and people-counting cameras, providing the government with evidence to guide route planning, scheduling and service improvements,” he said.
For long-distance express bus services, Lee said Kuching Sentral records an average of 40 daily departures with cumulative ridership of 164,651 from Jan to Oct 2025, with the popular domestic routes to Sibu, Bintulu, Sarikei, Miri and Sri Aman account for 63.4 per cent of total passengers departing from the terminal.
“Meanwhile, cross-border routes account for more than 18.1 per cent, with direct services from Kuching Sentral to Pontianak and Kuching Sentral to Singkawang operating on back-to-back routes through the transit points at Biawak (Lundu) and Aruk (Kalimantan),” he said.
Lee also addressed a query from Tupong assemblyman Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, noting that the Matang main road-Kampung Matang corridor is currently served under the BAS.MY Saujana–SMK Agama Matang 2 route.
“As for the Taman Malihah–Batu Kawa route, my ministry will work with Sarawak Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak to review and address the service coverage,” he said.
