SCHOOL bus drivers in dire straits want Putrajaya to help them get moratoriums for their vehicle loans now that the full lockdown period has been extended.

They said any issuance of moratorium for loans now fall within the purview of financial institutions that come under the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Federation of Malaysian School Bus Operators Association president Amali Munif Rahmat said many of its members were on loans with organisations that did not come under the Finance Ministry.

“Some 95% of school bus loans are taken under credit companies not registered with MoF, some of them are registered with licensed money lenders under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) or the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

“Some vehicle companies that sell buses provide in-house loans. For example, Toyota sells vans and they are under Toyota’s credit, it is not registered with the MoF or KPKT, only under SSM (Companies Commission of Malaysia),” he said.

He said a month’s instalment for new vans is about RM1,800 and for a new bus is about RM8,000, he said. 

With schools closed, he said they were unable to generate any income and a loan moratorium will help ease members’ burden.

Under the RM40 billion Pemerkasa Plus package, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said a three-month loan moratorium will be given to B40 groups and those who have lost their jobs.

It is also for micro-enterprises and small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are not allowed to operate during the nationwide lockdown.

Amali said more than 80% of school bus drivers are owners of their bus company, therefore falling under the SMEs category eligible for the moratorium. 

With regard to other government aid available, Amali said most of the bus drivers last week had claimed from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) RM1,000 out of the RM1,500 allowance they are entitled to receive for micro SMEs registered under SSM.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has said that eligible micro SMEs would receive a payment of RM1, 000 from June 10 in stages under the third Prihatin Special Grant (GKP 3.0).

Above that, individual bus drivers are also entitled to a one-off financial assistance of RM500 under the Pemerkasa Plus package, with the aid remitted to registered recipients in July.

“The Land Public Transport Agency office is now closed under the lockdown and there’s no one processing and distributing the money to us. This RM500 is still pending,” said Amali.

He added that the total of the assistance allocated by Putrajaya does not help the 15,000 school bus drivers in Malaysia. 

“The government is only giving RM2,000 for two months, we don’t have enough to pay for the vehicle instalments. What about our meals, our water and electric bills? 

“More than 40% of school bus operators  are already out of business, they have already had to work in other fields to survive. 

“If this current MCO extends to more than three months, I think only 50% will remain in this sector. Some of them had sold or scrapped their buses,” Amali said. 

Several bus drivers have switched to become lorry drivers, while most are taking up delivery jobs to sustain themselves, he said.

“There are a lot of parcels to deliver this season because of the rise in online sales. One of my friends sold his bus and bought a lorry. And within three months, he had finished his lorry’s payment. 

“It is profitable at this moment but being a lorry driver is more tiring because of the manual labour. It is not for me, a 56-year-old man.” 

Amali himself is currently with delivery couriers Lalamove and Mr Speedy. 

Government schools resumed yesterday (June 14) with online learning at home (PdPR) to continue for 25 days. 

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said pupils will continue with PdPR until the next school holiday begins on July 16 and 17. 

Earlier, physical classes for primary students resumed on March 1, while secondary students headed back to school on April 4. 

Then, schools were ordered to close from May 6 when Covid-19 cases began to rise.

During that time, Amali said an estimated 40% of customers stopped using his service, the majority from the M40 groups. 

“Bus services is optional for the M40 group, but people from the B40 group need it. 

“However, some of the parents from the B40 segment lost their jobs and were sending their children to school on their own.

“Not only that, they are helping to send their neighbours’ children, making two to three trips from home to school.” 

Syed, a bus driver who sends students from private schools in Kuala Lumpur, told The Malaysian Insight that he also expects a reduction in passengers when school reopens. 

“I heard that foreign students have gone back to their home countries during the pandemic,” he said.

He added that many bus drivers he knows are facing financial constraints and are borrowing money from friends to pay for their daily expenses, insurance and to Puspakom for vehicle inspection fees.

Said’s request to the government is to consider bringing in reconditioned vehicles from Japan. 

“Allow companies such as Mazda or Toyota to bring in reconditioned vans and buses into Malaysia as a more affordable alternative for the current situation.

“And reduce the tax by 50% to help school bus companies manage financially during this pandemic period,” he said. – June 17, 2021.