PETALING JAYA: An express coach operator's withdrawal from Kuala Lumpur has prompted the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) to call for a stronger balance between transport accessibility and market competition in Malaysia’s tourism sector.
This statement arose after the long-distance coach operator announced that Kuala Lumpur, specifically Corus KLCC and The Exchange TRX, will no longer be boarding and drop-off points for its services, via a social media post on May 30.
The operator said it received a directive on May 13 requiring it to operate only from licensed terminals such as 1 Utama, Lalaport, and IOI City Mall, citing safety and compliance requirements.
However, the operator argued that commercial fees at Lalaport were too high and did not align with its long-standing “value for money” principle.
“We believe it is neither fair nor right to simply pass these unprecedented costs to our passengers,” it said in the post.
In response, Mita noted that many other cross-border coach operators continue to serve Kuala Lumpur with varying fare structures and product positioning.
“Some operators focus on premium services, while others offer more price-competitive options. Consumers will ultimately choose based on their own budget, convenience and service requirements,” it said in a statement on May 31.
“Fares from Lalaport to Singapore start from RM59.96, compared with this operator's RM128 tickets. This healthy competition helps drive service improvements, price rationalisation and product innovation."
Mita noted that with the rise of Free Independent Travellers (FIT) in the tourism market, there is demand for products and transport options across premium, mid-market, and mass-market tiers.
“We believe the operator should continue its services at the approved operating locations, including major terminals like Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) and Terminal Bersepadu Gombak," Mita said.
"This would maintain service coverage in the Kuala Lumpur market. After all, picking up and dropping off passengers by the roadside is unsafe.”
Mita hopes that the operator and the Lalaport Bus Terminal can reach a coordinated solution through discussion, as it provides a comfortable waiting area in the city centre.
It also urged all operators to keep engaging with industry stakeholders to find solutions that meet traveller needs while complying with regulations.
