According to a Minister of Transport Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, additional expenses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic are to be bear by transport operators and taxpayers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership of public transport had dropped dramatically by 75 percent for buses and 84 percent for the train resulting in a drop in revenue by 80 percent. This is a result of the circuit breaker measures imposed.
The additional cost incurred includes:
- Purchasing of face mask for staff
- Accommodation cost for Malaysian bus captain affect by the MCO
- Additional cleaning services engaged for buses and trains
Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan:
“These costs would eventually have to be borne by operators and taxpayers, as they are not adequately covered by current fares. Our transport operators are therefore under significant financial stress, especially as their rail operations were already making losses prior to Covid-19.”
As mentioned, he is grateful the transport operators are still in operation despite suffering a financial loss. If the impact is drastic, we may have to update the current financing model for public transport appropriately.