KOTA KINABALU – Express bus operators in Sabah are up in arms as they are still not allowed to operate despite the lifting of the movement control order (MCO) in the state today.
Sabah Express Bus Operators and Drivers Association president Datuk Donald Hanapi has urged the state Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board and National Security Council to allow operators to resume business as they are struggling to keep afloat.
“Take Peninsular Malaysia, for example, even under the reinstated MCO, express buses are allowed to operate for inter-district and interstate travel with set health protocols. What about Sabah?
“What we want is for us to be allowed to operate and take in passengers who have inter-district travel permission.
“We have also proposed to allow express bus operators to take turns, but to no avail,” he said in a statement today.
The conditional MCO (CMCO) begins today in Sabah, as daily Covid-19 cases have declined.
Although tourism activities within districts are allowed, inter-district travel remains prohibited.
Donald questioned the closure of express bus terminals, saying that the Kota Kinabalu City Hall should have kept it open to allow it to become a courier service hub during the CMCO.
He alleged that the authorities have not called express bus operators for a dialogue, adding that operators have submitted an operational plan but the authorities “turned a blind eye” towards their request.
“We are concerned over our livelihood. Our bus drivers are struggling to bring food to their tables.
“We hope that the Sabah government will come forward, and give us an explanation and help find a solution.” – The Vibes, February 19, 2021
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