KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Bus Association Secretariat (SGBM) wants the government to allow bus and van operators to transport people to vaccination centres (PPVs) as well as to assist with vaccination services after their livelihoods were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SGBM independent committee chairman R Thiagarajan said such a service provided should involve registered bus and van operators.
"The government must help the operators of school buses, tour buses, express buses and others as a whole who are barely able to work at the moment by using their services to transport people to the PPV.
"We are confident that the current government is concerned in defending and assisting the people in facing this challenging pandemic period.
"Similarly, SGMB is also ready to mobilise operators or drivers to assist the government's efforts in helping to fight the Covid-19 pandemic," he said in a statement here today.
He added that bus and tourism operators and drivers suggested using the 'mobile vaccination unit' vehicles belonging to bus operators. These vehicles are currently stranded due to the pandemic.
He said the allocation must go through an active state association and registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and not assigned directly to any company.
"The distribution and supervision of the tasks need to be monitored by an independent committee of the nation's bus and tourism industry at the central level.
"Distribution must be made fairly to ensure that only those who are truly affected will receive the assignment," he said.
Thiagarajan hoped that all their members will be considered for the assignment and with no one company monopolising it.
"Any bus association in the country should prioritise the welfare of members and SGBM urges the Home Ministry, Transport Ministry, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry as well as others to screen all associations registered under the ROS.
If the effort could be implemented, Thiagarajan said he is confident the country's bus and tourism industry operators could resolve the problems they were facing at the moment, thus saving their businesses.
"It can to some extent provide a breather to the industry to rebuild as well as an opportunity to revive the bus and tourism industry in stages."
