PETALING JAYA: Tour bus operators are struggling after being left out of the targeted diesel subsidy mechanism, with operating costs having risen by as much as 75%, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president, who met the Northern Zone Tour Bus Operators Consortium on Wednesday (May 20), said the group had previously been among those who benefited from various forms of assistance, including financial allocations and simplified operating procedures during the challenging period of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also said placing tour buses under the Subsidised Diesel Control System 2.0 (SKDS 2.0) is the best solution at the moment.
“The consortium, which represents five tour bus associations, is now in a very difficult position as they do not fall under the category eligible for targeted subsidies.
“According to them, operating costs have risen by as much as 75%, with diesel accounting for between 40% and 60% of overall operating expenses.
“If this situation continues, it may affect 12,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and could even undermine the government’s efforts to actively promote the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign,” he said in a statement.
Dr Wee added that he would also write to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, as well as Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, to help tour bus operators overcome the challenges they are facing.
Among the consortium leaders present at the meeting were chairman Ahmad Ruslan Abdul Latiff, deputy chairman Zainal Abidin Mehat, secretary Muhammad Farhan Yahaya, committee member Muhammad Fadli Saad, and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.
