Dear YB,
I bought a ticket to board an express bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur yesterday (18th September). My bus was scheduled to leave at 9am. I paid an additional RM2 for a van to take me from Komtar to Sg Nibong bus terminal.
I reached the terminal at 8.45am. There were less than 30 passengers at the time but the bus which was scheduled to leave at 9am did not have a second driver and could not depart. Apparently, many bus drivers dare not turn up to work fearing that they may be hauled up by JPJ officers who are conducting an ‘operasi’. I was only able to get on board a bus which embarked at 11 am and from a different operator (Plusliner) who was faced with similar shortage of drivers.
My complaint is two-fold.. First, the express bus operator is oblivious to the plights of the passengers who were held back unnecessarily. Some of their agents (especially those from Konsortium Sdn Bhd) acted rudely and asked some passengers to leave the bus if they cannot wait for a later bus when questioned about the delay. As a result, I opted out and went to buy another ticket from Plusliner.
Second, it is obvious that the express bus industry is facing an acute crisis due to a lack of enforcement for far too long. A sudden show of enthusiasm by the law enforcers (JPJ, Police and Puspakom) created another problem for the industry – a lack of good, clean and law abiding drivers and buses which are road worthy.
As a result, I am sure we will face an acute shortage of buses to ferry people across peninsula Malaysia during the upcoming festive period.
Please help to look into this problem.
(Name and contact details not published)
Bus passengers have to put up with all these hassles each time they travel in this country. It is good you as an MP is experiencing it first hand what the express bus companies dish out to the travellers. I once had to sit in the bus for almost an hour at Puduraya while on a journey from JB to Penang while the driver waits to pack the bus! To make matters worse the driver did not bother to stop for a break between KL and Penang. All the JB passengers had to endure thirst, hunger and suppress the call of nature.
No wonder private vehicles are ever increasing in this country. Public transport is simply too unreliable.