Kelantan to write to Loke about Thai tourist bus ban

 

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the states bordering Thailand can appeal to allow tourist buses to enter Malaysia. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA: The Kelantan government will write to transport minister Loke Siew Fook to request a meeting to discuss the restrictions on the entry of Thai tourist buses into the border states.

Kelantan tourism, culture, arts and heritage committee chairman Kamarudin Nor said there was a misreporting regarding the issue, where it was previously stated that the letter had been sent.

“It was misreported. It is currently being processed to request an appointment with the minister. My office will dispatch the letter this Sunday,” he told FMT.

Earlier today, Harian Metro reported that the state government had sent out a letter to the transport ministry and they will meet to discuss the issue.

Kamarudin was quoted as saying that the upcoming meeting would also involve other states bordering Thailand – Perak, Kedah and Perlis.

In the report, he also claimed that the restriction was intended to provide opportunities for local tourist bus companies, but he claimed that it was not enough, particularly in Kelantan, where there were few tour bus companies.

He also claimed that the restriction was issued by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), where only personal vehicles were allowed in. When asked by FMT, he did not say how long the restriction had been in place.

Meanwhile, Loke said the states bordering Thailand can appeal to allow tourist buses to enter Malaysia.

“I understand that our existing policy is not to allow tourist buses from Thailand to enter Malaysia, only private cars are allowed.

“If the state governments see that there is a need to look at the policy, they can write to us to allow tourist buses from Thailand,” he said.

An aide to Loke later told FMT the policy was enforced by the road transport department, not Apad.

Loke also said there are some technical issues that need to be addressed in terms of driver licensing and so on, and the matter needs to be studied more deeply before any policy is changed.

“If the Kelantan government thinks there is a need to review the policy, then they can write a letter to the ministry so that we can consider whether to allow tourist buses from Thailand,” he told reporters after a contract handover ceremony between the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) and SMH Rail Sdn Bhd.  - FMT