Express bus operators have approached the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) on the subject of a possible 15% hike in ticket prices this Raya season. The operators are also requesting for an additional 10% surcharge after the festive season should the government turn down earlier demands for fare deregulation.
“The public needs to understand that for us to provide the best service, there must be a fare increase as we don’t enjoy subsidies like the stage bus industry,” said Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association (PMBOA) president, Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali, to theSun. The last fare increase was in 2008.
SPAD chairman, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, commented that a decision on the fare surcharge would be finalised over the next few days. The commission is also mulling over the possibility of fare deregulation, with the final word expected later this year. “Fare deregulation would provide healthy competition to provide the best service to the public. But this still needs approval from the government as it involves public interest.”
In June 2013, a 10% surcharge was given the go-ahead by SPAD during the Raya season as a form of compromise to a 30% hike in 2011. The 10% surcharge remains as SPAD has decided to retain it until the new fare rate has been finalised.
Back in March 2015, SPAD had announced a price hike for both taxis and express bus services with the former getting the final word of approval – the supposed hike in ticket prices for the latter was postponed.
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Drive home safely. For those don’t have a transport, just pay as we don’t have a choice.
The government is robbing us legally with GST and inflation. What to do?
Satu lagi hadiah untuk orang orang kampung untuk Raya. Undi lah lagi untuk BN. Bagus la
Oh Gomen, please speed up our high-speed train system..we cant wait to teach these greedy bus owners. users will change mode of transport anytime if train is faster..safety issues still cannot solve and now ask for fare hike..
ETS from KL up to butterworth launching by end of this month… the only inconvenience, you need to transit at Ipoh but take the chances to have a cuppa of coffee at Ipoh train station
Kampung folks will say,’Syukurlah negara masih aman’.
They are allowed to increase 15%. In normal business, when increase of 1 cent, Price Control & Anti Profiteering Act, 2011 will be charged.
Every festive season, these leeches will blackmail the public into paying more for their crap service and SPAD will play along to their tune.
Fare deregulation? Please GOV, all you need to do is make the operating license easier, where more operator allowed, period.
THe funny thing is the most affected people are the majority poor Malays but day in day out they still fully suppork UMNO.
They really have no one else to blame but themselves, oh wait, you can blame DAP for it
The bus associations are operating like cartels but thats what happens when theres free market. If theres no regulation at all, everything can go to hell.
Forget about Anti-Profiteering Act. Its only useful when theres an operator among them who is unsatisfied. If the cartels looks after all its members, no one will complain/provide proof to the authorities.
Even if the authorities clamp down on them, a demo/boycott by all the operators during Raya/CNY will cause the rakyat to turn against the Gov. Not a very good idea.
One way would be Gov to buyout these crooks and setup a RapidKL-like express service. But then most routes would only be profitable during festive seasons, so this would also incur loses and again anger the rakyat.
Not much can be done, except build more railway and connecting stations. Dun let these legal criminals hold their balls.
I think you are mistaken,
there is NO free market, it is TOTAL MONOPOLY,
free market means market can dictate prices, if one is expensive, we can choose another,
But not in Malaysia, everything is a monopoly.
You either take it or there is no other choice.
Well ur not wrong, but neither am I. In an idealistic world, free market would give us the choice to choose the cheapest.
In reality, this leads to the survival of the fittest and will tend to gobble up smaller rivals, in time became a near monopoly. By then ur choice is an illusion and whichever u choose will benefit the top dog. (ie Microsoft).
To break such a monopoly would require big balls and very deep pockets, and not many businesses would take such a risks.
Thats the weakness of fair and free markets. The strong eats up the weak. The weak will then have strong and secure backing, basically win-win for them. Boo-hoo to the consumers.
Real World Economics 101
Frankly speaking , I rather have a free market where only the strongest survive instead of monopoly like now.
Right now all those monopoly are in the name of protection, which is just an excuse.
Not much of a difference either way. U just go from one kind of monopoly(tongkat) to another kind of monopoly(eat all competitors/collaborate).
Ur choice is but an illusion.
GST : 6%
Opportunist : 9%
Inb4 Maslan say tak mau bayar GST, naik KTM.
What a joke by Maslan.
If my hometown is in Langkawi, I will still be unable to take KTM despite my YB is their Chairman.
Oi LGE! Why u want to increase bus fares? Our PM Najib is very good. Always say kami mendengar masalah rakyat.
LGE : Lollipop Good Eat?? anything to do with LGE?? It is SPAD
Later minister will say “kalau tiket mahal, jangan balik kampung!”
Last time minyak naik, also surcharge.
Now harga minyak turun, also surcharge.
Improve service?
What had they improve? To load our luggage? To not smoke during driving? To not drive faster than 90km/h? To not drive slowly on the fast lane? To not dress like sh*t? To clean up the bus? WHAT SERVICE???!!