GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians can get unlimited free rides on the Rapid Penang buses by paying RM5 for the Pas Mutiara My50 card.
The card, which is renewable monthly at no extra charge, is part of the state government’s RM7.5mil social welfare allocation for the man on the street this year, said State Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.
A total of 150,000 cards are available for commuters.
Zairil said bus passes were first issued in 2021 with the aim of reducing people’s reliance on private vehicles.
To begin, the state provided RM3mil for 100,000 passes, he added.
“The passes were fully taken, so the state eventually upped the sponsorship to 120,000 passes for RM6mil last year.
“Since that was also fully taken up, we raised the sponsorship to 150,000 cards this year.
“You pay RM5 for the card itself, renew it for free every month, and ride the buses,” Zairil said.
In addition to helping people save on fuel and parking, he said it was a good allocation because it would mean fewer vehicles plying the roads too.
An even bigger free public transport initiative is the free bus rides between the Bukit Mertajam bus terminal on the mainland and Komtar on the island that started yesterday.
An ehailing ride along this route would cost between RM50 and over RM70, depending on traffic conditions.
Zairil said passengers of the free rides were expected to be those in the B40 group who need to commute from Bukit Mertajam to the island for work, studies or healthcare.
Along the way, the buses will stop at densely populated spots like Mydin Mall Bukit Mertajam, Jalan Permatang Batu, Jalan Perda Selatan in Bandar Perda, and Jalan Permatang Rawa to allow groups in a wider geographical area to benefit from the service.
The free high-speed ferry rides between Butterworth and the island have also been extended to June 30.
Zairil said that the total budget for six months of free ferry rides was estimated to be RM468,000.
The programme received a warm response from Penangites as figures showed increasing ridership since it began on July 1 last year, especially after the country entered the endemic phase of Covid-19, he added.
