PUTRAJAYA, 13 May 2020:
The Transport Ministry (MoT) will table a proposal on the issue of fare increase to offset losses suffered by public transport operators in cutting passenger capacity by half to meet social distancing regulations, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the government had received complaints from public transport operators on the matter and realised the practice of social distancing on public transport had somewhat led to more expensive fares.
“So, MoT will look into this matter to ensure that there are no losses on the part of public transport operators. MoT will table its proposal at the Ministers’ Special Committee Meeting soon,” he told a daily news conference on the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) here today.
He was responding to complaints about higher fares charged by operators on grounds that they are allowed to carry only half the usual number of passengers during the CMCO period.
The Compliance Operation Task Force on standard operating procedures (SOP) during the CMCO will be deployed more often at shopping malls and supermarkets conducting certain cheap sales or promotions, said Ismail Sabri.
He said this was to ensure there were no violations of the SOP which could lead to Covid-19 infection occurring during the sale process.
He said customers also needed to be disciplined and comply with the SOP for their own health and safety.
“When we allow business premises to operate, we allowed with certain conditions. In the SOP, social distancing and the number of customers allowed inside at any one time have been determined. Any violation of the SOP will result in us ordering them (traders) to close shop.”
Ismail Sabri also said the task force conducted 70,237 checks nationwide yesterday to monitor and enforce compliance of the SOP, adding that the rate of compliance for the CMCO nationwide was 95%.
“Pahang, Melaka and Penang recorded the highest rate of compliance at 98% while the lowest rate of compliance by a state was 86%.”
– Bernama