Kuching: In response to Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap’s statement regarding the Free School Bus Programme, it is clear that he failed to address the public’s greatest concern: the safety of the school buses involved. Instead, he attempts to shift the focus to questions of jurisdiction and licensing authorities, thereby diverting attention from the core issue.
None of us ever blamed the school bus drivers or operators, including society.
The drivers are simply carrying out their duties, while school bus operators have long struggled with operating costs, maintenance expenses, and the financial burden of replacing aging vehicles. That is precisely why we have called on the Sarawak Government to take this matter seriously and explore ways to assist the bus operators in improving their services and upgrading their fleets, rather than shifting all responsibility onto them when problems are exposed.
If concerns have arisen today regarding overaged buses, licensing issues, or safety risks, the public has every right to question the planners and promoters of the programme. The responsibility should not be shifted to the bus operators, who are merely doing their jobs.
Since the Free School Bus Programme was actively promoted by See Chee How and funded by the Sarawak Government, the relevant authorities should have conducted basic safety and compliance checks before the programme was launched.
Did they verify the age of the vehicles involved?
Did they confirm that the drivers possessed valid Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licences?
Did they ensure that the buses had obtained the necessary permits and complied with all relevant regulations?
These are the fundamental conditions that need to be verified before the programme is launched and even before the Premier of Sarawak. These conditions ought to be verified by the person who launched the programme and shall not be shifted to drivers, operators, or regulatory agencies.
Those who promoted and implemented the programme must accept responsibility. They have a duty to ensure that the programme complies with basic safety standards and legal requirements before it is introduced to the public.
DAP has never opposed the Free School Bus Programme. On the contrary, we support any initiative that helps reduce the burden on parents and enables students to attend school more easily.
However, if the Sarawak Government is willing to allocate public funds to provide a free school bus service, it must also ensure that students receive a safe, compliant service that meets established standards. The Government’s responsibility does not end with providing a free service. It must also guarantee service quality and student safety.
The challenges faced by school bus operators in replacing aging fleets are not new. That is why the Government should proactively explore assistance schemes.
If the Government can afford to spend hundreds of millions of ringgit chartering private aircraft for official travel, it can allocate a small portion of those resources to help operators participating in the Free School Bus Programme purchase newer, safer buses.
Rather than spending time debating responsibility after the issue has been exposed, the Government should focus on practical solutions that help operators upgrade their fleets and ensure safer transportation for students.
GPS leaders often speak about putting Sarawakians first. Yet when student safety and school bus replacement are weighed against the comfort and convenience of political leaders, we do not see the same sense of urgency.
If the Government genuinely cares about students’ welfare, it should consider grants, low-interest financing, or targeted assistance programmes to help operators gradually phase out overaged buses, rather than leaving them to shoulder the financial burden alone.
At this stage, the key issue is no longer which agency is responsible for issuing licences. The real question is why the problem remains unresolved even after it has been publicly exposed.
LPKP Sarawak Chairman Michael Kong has already revealed that five buses participating in the programme are more than 30 years old. What parents and the public want to know is simple: Are these buses still transporting students today?
If they are still operating, then students remain exposed to potential risks.
If they have been withdrawn from service, the Sarawak Government and See Chee How should publicly explain when these buses were taken off the road, what vehicles have replaced them, and what measures will be implemented to ensure similar situations do not occur again.
What I find disappointing is that Wilfred Yap’s response focuses heavily on licensing authority and enforcement responsibility, while failing to address the most important question: whether the problematic buses identified earlier are still operating.
Parents are not interested in bureaucratic arguments about jurisdiction or responsibility.
The only concern of the parents is whether the school buses are safe to transport their children.
Children’s safety must never become a political tool, nor should it become an excuse for parties to evade responsibility after problems are exposed.
The Sarawak Government and See Chee How should it provide a clear explanation to the public and take concrete action to resolve the issue, rather than continuing to avoid addressing school bus safety, which is of most concern to the parents.
We sincerely support the Free School Bus Programme. However, student safety must never be compromised.
Instead of continuing to defend the programme’s shortcomings, the Sarawak Government should immediately explore ways to help bus operators renew their fleets so that parents can have peace of mind and students can travel safely.
That is what a responsible government should do.
Sim Kiat Leng
Special Assistant to Stampin MP, YB Chong Chieng Jen
18 June 2026
