KANGAR, July 28 — The Transport Ministry will soon introduce a new service, BAS.MY Medik, under the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme to provide accessible transport for passengers with limited mobility.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the initiative will require BAS.MY operators to provide at least one dedicated van to serve passengers using wheelchairs or travelling to clinics or dialysis centres.
“The BAS.MY Medik service will be offered at an affordable fare,” Loke said at the launch of the SBST BAS.MY Kangar service today, with Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli.
He noted that transportation remains a challenge for many patients, particularly those who require frequent medical treatment.
“For example, dialysis patients typically need to travel three times a week. Taking a taxi to and from the centre can cost RM20 to RM30 per trip, which is a heavy burden.
“With BAS.MY Medik, the van will pick them up from home and take them directly to the treatment centre at a much lower fare. This service will be introduced by bus operators soon,” he said.
Loke said the Federal government has allocated RM39.7 million over five years to support the continued operation of BAS.MY Kangar, to enhance public transport access and improve the well-being of residents.
The BAS.MY service in Kangar currently operates nine routes, including a cross-border link to Alor Setar, Kedah, which should be fully utilised by the public, he added.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, SBST Kangar recorded a monthly ridership of around 30,000 passengers from 2016 to 2019. However, for the first half of 2025, the monthly average has dropped to just 12,071 passengers,” he said.
Loke believes the service has room for significant growth and issued a challenge to BAS.MY Kangar operators to restore pre-pandemic ridership levels.
“To achieve this, operators must step up promotional efforts and actively engage all segments of the community in Kangar and across Perlis,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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