My50 bus pass to be extended to Penang - Loke

The My50 Unlimited Travel Pass programme will be extended to RapidPenang bus users by the second half of this year, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Loke said the move to extend the facility to Penang would be the second phase of the programme before it is expanded to other states.

“We hope it could be introduced in the quarter or by the second half of this year. 

"I have asked Prasarana to study (this matter) immediately and work out a proposal,” he told a press conference today.

The My50 travel pass, introduced on Dec 1, allows commuters to access unlimited rides on all RapidKL buses and MRT feeder buses for 30 days at a cost of RM50.

It was launched together with My100 pass, which allows commuters to enjoy unlimited rides on all RapidKL rail and bus services – including the MRT, LRT, Monorail, Sunway BRT, RapidKL buses and MRT feeder buses – within 30 days for RM100. 

Asked whether it would be expanded for the Rapid Ferry service in Penang, Loke said it was up to Prasarana to study the suitability and recommend it in the working paper.

'Impressive sales'

Loke said both passes recorded impressive sales, with 30,653 passes for My100 sold within seven days this month, compared to 34,472 during the whole of last month. 

A total of 726 passes for My50 were sold this month, compared to 851 passes last month.

“Although it has not reached the target yet, this is a good projection, I believe there will be more subscribers, our target is to get at least 200,000 every month,” he said.

Earlier, he conducted an inspection on MRT and LRT, riding from Kajang MRT Station to Bangsar Station, while receiving feedback from commuters on the programme.

“The feedback I received was positive... some say they can save on their monthly expenses up to RM100, RM150 and even more than RM200.

“Some even choose to change from using cars to just the MRT to go to work. These are positive feedbacks for us, the most exciting thing is that the government has saved and reduced the cost of living,” he said.

Loke said this was one of the clear examples of how the Pakatan Harapan government had fulfilled its promises in its election manifesto.

“To the critics who always accuse the government of making U-turns, I want to say, this is one clear example where we adhered to our promise and we delivered within a short period of time, as far as public transport is concerned,” he added.

- Bernama