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PETALING JAYA: More commuters numbering tens of thousands are likely to be stranded today following the standstill in stage bus service as people return to work from the year-end holidays.

The scenario is a moment of truth of sorts as thousands of schoolchildren also begin their new term tomorrow, adding to the huge number of stage bus users already affected by the suspension of more routes in several states, including Selangor, due to heavy losses.

Commuters may have to endure the situation for at least two weeks or more, when the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is expected to disburse part of the RM400mil interim stage bus fund to cash-strapped bus operators.

Applications for the funds open only today, and SPAD said it would hand out the money to eligible operators within 14 days.

While bus companies strive to survive, another stage bus company, Lean Hock Sdn Bhd, was forced to shut its operations after incurring hefty losses after 64 years of serving routes in Penang and Kedah.

Konsortium Transnasional Berhad (KTB), the operator of the Cityliner fleet of stage buses, said it was not possible to resume services to the 21 routes suspended on Dec 13 after suffering yearly losses in the millions.

“Yes, the Government pledged to give RM400mil to support stage bus operators, but until now, I do not know if my company will get funding and how much, if any,” said KTB executive director Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim.

“Until there is a clear indication from SPAD on the figures, it is difficult for us to resume services.”

SPAD chief executive officer Mohd Nur Kamal said the target was to disburse funds within the next 14 days once the applicants fulfil the eligibility requirements and sign the service level agreement.

“Priority will be given to states that are facing serious problems, such as Selangor,” he said.

Pan Malaysia Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to meet bus operators so they could give him a “first-hand insight” into their woes.

When Cityliner halted its services in 21 bus routes on Dec 13, about 80,000 commuters were said to be affected.

In BUTTERWORTH, DERRICK VINESH reports that the state government advised ailing bus operators to wait until SPAD had exhausted all avenues to help them before they ceased their operations.

On Sunday, the Taiping-based Red Omnibus joined Lean Hock Sdn Bhd in calling it quits.

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KLANG: Residents of Taman Sentosa, a densely populated housing area here, staged a protest against Konsor­tium Transnasional Bhd (KTB) for halting its Cityliner bus service in Selangor.

They claim this had affected some 25,000 daily commuters in the area.

Residents’ spokesman R.S. Maniam said most of those affected were from the lower- and middle-income group.

“They would have to wait for hours for other bus services to come by,” he said yesterday.

“The government should do something,” added Maniam, who is Barisan Nasional’s Kota Raja parliamentary constituency coordinator.

He alleged bus and taxi companies had taken advantage of the issue and were charging exorbitant fares for commuters going to Klang town.

Meanwhile, KTB executive director Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said the company would seek an allocation from the RM400mil fund, which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last month, to resume its bus services in the state.

The Land Public Transport Com­mission (SPAD) has been given the mandate to manage the fund, which was set up as an interim measure by the Government to help ailing bus firms maintain or resume stage bus services.

KTB had suspended its Cityliner fleet in the state last month, citing annual losses of RM8mil.

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