THE Sarawak government has rejected Putrajaya’s proposal to use diesel powered buses in the programme to transform Kuching city’s bus service.

The state has told Putrajaya and Konsortium BBK Sdn Bhd (KBBK) only electric buses should be used.

KBBK was awarded the RM204.9mil contract by the federal government last November to undertake the stage bus transformation programme in Kuching and Samarahan Divisions in southern Sarawak.

The consortium is made up of bus companies operating in the city – City Public Link Bus Services Sdn Bhd, Sarawak Transport Company Bhd, Bau Transport Company Sdn Bhd, Petra Jaya Transport (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and Biaramas Express Sdn Bhd.

“Nobody use smoky buses anymore. What would the environmentally conscious tourists and foreign visitors say?” Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said when outlining his plan to turn Kuching into a tourist haven.

Under the project to improve the efficiency of the city’s public transportation, a fleet of 130 new buses, equipped with electronic ticketing machines, closed circuit television and a global positioning system tracker as well as facilities for the handicapped was proposed.

The diesel buses – expected to cost RM600,000 each – were to have hit the streets in the third quarter of this year.

But Abang Johari said with the rejection, the transformation project would be pushed back but introduction of electric buses could happen “within the next three years”.

He said he is aware having electric buses could push the costs up as basic service infrastructure, like charging stations, needed to be built.

He has suggested to Putrajaya and the consortium to reduce the proposed number of buses to be deployed and the state government “would cover any (financial) shortfall”.

“I don’t mind sharing certain costs,” he said after declaring open a new travel agency in his constituency of Satok.

KKBK had at the contract signing ceremony in Kuching on November 27 last year said the consortium could invest up to RM78 million in their proposed 130 new buses

The signatories were Chief Secretary to the Government Ali Hamsa, Sarawak State Secretary Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Gani and KBBK chairman William Chan.

It was witnessed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri.

The consortium was to operate 27 key routes in the Kuching and Samarahan divisions. – February 2, 2018.