Express bus drivers to receive RM500 one-off aid

 

To qualify for the RM500 aid, recipients must be Malaysian citizens registered as employees with an express bus company and still contribute to the Social Security Organisation (Sosco).

PUTRAJAYA: Some 6,600 express bus drivers nationwide will soon receive a one-off aid payment of RM500 from the transport ministry.

Transport minister Wee Ka Siong said RM3.3 million had been allocated for the assistance under the Pemerkasa Plus relief package.

“To qualify for the aid, the express bus driver must be a Malaysian citizen registered as an employee with an express bus company and still contribute to the Social Security Organisation (Socso).

“Those who have already received the special assistance for school bus, tour bus, taxis or e-hailing drivers are not eligible as the aid is specifically for express bus drivers,” Wee said in a statement today.

Another condition is that the express bus driver must hold a valid vocational licence taking into account the licence renewal exemption period granted by the ministry throughout 2021.

He said only express bus companies or operators with valid licences or permits from the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) or the Sabah and Sarawak Commercial Vehicle Licencing Board (CVLB) were eligible to apply for the assistance.

Wee said the express bus companies or operators were required to submit full details of the individuals or express bus drivers under their employment to Apad or the two CVLBs in order to determine their eligibility and enable distribution of the funds.

The express bus companies or operators can now contact the nearest Apad or CVLB offices for the aid, he said, adding that the payment would be distributed as soon as the transport ministry and the relevant implementing agencies receive the funds.

“Hopefully, the aid will be able to ease the burden of express bus drivers during this difficult time, and they can be back at work when the situation improves,” he said.

Wee added that the ministry, in collaboration with the National Security Council (MKN) and bus operators’ associations, will look into steps and guidelines to help bus operators to prepare for regular service.

He said a guideline on safe operating procedures will be developed to help express bus operators provide the best service possible once inter-state restrictions are lifted and domestic tourism activities are allowed under the national recovery plan. -FMT