Penang hands out financial aid to school bus operators

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government today disbursed RM600 each to 621 school bus operators in the state.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the financial aid was to help operators cope with rising costs.

He said this was one of the new aid programmes by his administration to help the people which also includes schemes to assist the elderly, single mothers and students since 2008.

He said the state obtained the list of legal operators from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) so the aid could be disbursed to those eligible.

“Every school bus operator with a permit will receive RM600 each,” he said in his speech at the ceremony today, adding that recipients with more than two permits can only claim for two permits.

There are 621 school bus operators statewide with 770 permits with the state allocating RM462,000 for the incentive,

Penang School Bus Association chairman Loh Choon Beng welcomed the aid and urged operators to use the money wisely to ensure the vehicles are well maintained.

He also expressed hope that the federal government would follow suit in providing aid or subsidies to ease the operating costs for school bus operators.