A SIX-YEAR hydrogen bus trial in Kuching, Sarawak has come under intensified criticism following the continued suspension of services since August, with opposition leaders demanding full disclosure of costs and justification for the prolonged testing period.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the lack of clarity surrounding the project initiative reflects deeper issues of accountability, particularly given that both the state government and its wholly owned entities are funding the project.
He noted that although the matter was raised in the State Legislative Assembly in November, a substantive written reply from the Sarawak Transport Ministry was only provided recently, and failed to address key concerns.
According to Chong, the ministry confirmed that each hydrogen-powered bus was acquired at a cost below RM1.5 million, while operations for the three trial units were subsidised by the government. Hydrogen fuel, he said, was supplied through facilities operated by Sarawak Energy Berhad.
Despite these disclosures, Chong said critical details remain absent, particularly regarding the true scale of operational expenditure.
“The answer reveals the ineptitude, non-transparency and a lack of accountability on the part of the Sarawak Transport Ministry,” Borneo Post reported him saying.
He argued that the six-year timeline for what he described as a technical feasibility trial was excessive and difficult to justify.
“Six years to test the technical feasibility of a bus is unheard of. It is far too long for both operational and infrastructural assessments.”
Chong further questioned the rationale behind citing subsidies without quantifying them, stressing that public funds are ultimately being used.
“Even if the hydrogen fuel was supplied by SEB (Sarawak Energy Berhad), there are still costs involved.
“SEB, being fully-owned by the state government, has a duty to disclose the figure.
“As for the part on operation costs being ‘subsidised by the government’, that begs the question how much the government subsidises the hydrogen buses,” he added.
He maintained that the absence of transparent financial reporting undermines public trust, particularly given the involvement of state-linked entities in both fuel supply and operational funding.
“Otherwise, the people of Sarawak will just be paying blindly for these hydrogen buses,” he said. - March 28, 2026
