Electric buses in Kota Kinabalu by mid-year

 

The six-month pilot electric bus project is expected to reduce congestion and pollution in Kota Kinabalu.

KOTA KINABALU: Electric buses are expected to take to Kota Kinabalu’s streets in the middle of this year in a RM200 million pilot project by a state government investment arm.

The project is to be run by government-owned Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd (WHS) through its subsidiary Kojasa Holdings Bhd.

WHS executive director Mohd Syukor Abdul Mumin said the company expects to receive 100 to 200 electric buses.

He said the existing bus operators need not worry as the electric bus service would not affect their income.

“They don’t need to worry. It (their income) will in fact increase,” he said.

“We want to reduce congestion in the city and pollution,” he said after the signing of an agreement between WHS and the bus manufacturer Gemilang Coachwork Sdn Bhd (GML) and two other companies, EPost and Go Auto Group.

The signing was witnessed by WHS chairman Salleh Said Keruak. The company was represented by chief executive Ahmad Rizal Dahli.

GML was represented by managing director Pang Chong Yong, Epost by its managing director Tobin Ng with chief operating officer Mandy Chan, and Go Auto Group by its executive chairman SM Azli Nasimuddin Kamal and executive director Farok Maasom.