Transport Minister Calls For Kuching BAS.MY Route Review, Proposes Unified Parking System
KUCHING: Minister for Transport Sarawak Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin has called for a review of the existing BAS.MY bus routes in Kuching, noting that passenger numbers on some routes remain relatively low despite the availability of the service.
Speaking while chairing the Sarawak Public Transport Committee (SPTC) Meeting No.1/2026 yesterday, Dato Sri Lee said he had observed that ridership on some BAS.MY services could be further improved, highlighting the need to review the current routes and service planning.
He stressed that improving route planning and service efficiency is crucial to encourage greater public use of buses.
“To encourage people to shift from private vehicles to public transport, the services must be convenient, efficient and aligned with actual travel patterns,” he said.
He therefore suggested that the relevant authorities review the current BAS.MY routes and operational planning to ensure the service better meets the mobility needs of the public.
During the meeting, Dato Sri Lee also proposed that Sarawak move towards a unified parking payment system across the state, highlighting the inconvenience currently faced by the public due to different parking applications used in different cities.
He noted that drivers travelling between cities often need to download or use different parking platforms, which can be confusing and inconvenient.
“In the future, we should aim for a system where one parking platform can be used across Sarawak. This will make things much easier for the public,” he said.
Also present were Deputy Minister for Transport Sarawak (Aviation and Road) Datuk Dr Jerip Susil and Deputy Minister for Transport Sarawak (Riverine and Marine) Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, heads of government agencies, regulators and industry stakeholders to review ongoing initiatives and developments across Sarawak’s transport sector.
During the meeting, committee members were also briefed on transport projects approved under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to be implemented by the Ministry of Transport Sarawak.
Updates were also presented on several initiatives, including aviation development programmes, the BAS.MY programme under the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP) Sarawak, and the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) construction phase traffic management plan presented by Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd.
The meeting also received a presentation on the Smart Parking System (Pay & Go Digitalise Council Parking) initiative by the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak. - UKASnews
