Fifty tour bus operators served with court notices, close to winding up

KOTA BARU (Bernama): The Malaysian Bumiputera Bus Operators Association (PPBBM) is requesting the government's consideration to expedite assistance to 50 tour bus operators nationwide that have been given court notices due to arrears with creditors.

PPBBM chairman Che Ibrahim Che Ismail said the assistance was required to prevent the companies from winding up.

"So far, only tour buses have been served with court notices as their operators have loan arrears with creditors for the purchase of buses.

"However, other buses such as express buses, school buses and those used to ferry employees have not yet been taken by any financial institutions, but need assistance to reactivate services," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after PPBBM’s first annual general meeting at the E-Mutiara Consortium headquarters in Panji here Sunday (Oct 3).

PPBBM represents 18 bus companies throughout Malaysia with a total of 324 buses and 694 employees.

Commenting further, Che Ibrahim said the association had also applied for an extension of the moratorium for school buses and inspections at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) for six months, as well as for road tax to be paid according to the insurance expiry date.

He said the association expected demand to pick up by mid-October to December as more activities were being allowed by the government, however, most operators did not have enough capital to carry out bus repairs.

"We are applying for this assistance because we do not have enough capital to repair the buses, as the maintenance cost of an express bus is quite high," he said. - Bernama