Over 1,000 Sabah Public Transport Drivers Get RM1,000 Assistance

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- A total of 1,105 taxi, hired car and school bus drivers in Sabah are recipients of a one-off RM1,000 special financial assistance payment under a government initiative to ease the financial burden on public transport operators in the state.

Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP) chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe said the aid showed the government's continued concern for drivers facing day-to-day operational challenges.

"Of the more than 1,000 recipients in Sabah, 160 attended today's presentation ceremony. Since not everyone can attend in person, the payments will be deposited directly into their accounts in stages," he told reporters after the event here today.

He said the direct payment method was introduced to ensure every eligible driver across the state could fully benefit from the welfare initiative without logistical limitations.

Phoong said the government remained committed to ensuring that no one in the public transport sector was left out of its assistance initiatives and industry improvement plans.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the aid while tabling Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat last month, as part of efforts to channel national revenue back to the people.

Addressing current challenges, Phoong said conventional taxi services, which have operated for many years, face serious constraints because most of their vehicles are old and in poor condition.

He said the government's National MADANI Taxi Renewal Programme would bring direct benefits by helping those in the sector modernise their vehicles.

On urban mobility, Phoong said plans were underway to expand Pink Bus services to densely populated areas, including Likas Hospital and Luyang Health Clinic, subject to completing necessary operational procedures and technical approvals before the new routes could become fully operational.

"I want to make sure this bus service is not just introduced for show, but that its routes actually reach areas where the service is needed," he said.

The Pink Bus service, part of the Stage Bus Transformation Programme, also known as BAS My, was launched in the city on Sept 27 last year.

-- BERNAMA