(Miri, 2nd) Konsortium Bas Express (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (KBE) director Lin Junliang clarified today that the additional RM3 'service and maintenance fee' charged to long-distance bus passengers at Miri Central Bus Terminal is fully retained by the company, not Miri City Council, even though the receipt bears the council's logo.
He stated that the company is currently testing the most advanced ticketing system in Sarawak, and once the system is perfected, the current procedure of additional fees for exchanging tickets for boarding passes will be canceled in favor of a unified ticket fee. He also expressed apologies for any inconvenience that may arise during this testing period and appealed for public understanding.
Lin Junliang disclosed that KBE management formally met with Miri Mayor Adam Yii on March 27 to explain the matter and conveyed to the council that the station's hardware facilities still need improvement to enhance passenger safety and service experience.
He further explained that Konsortium Bas Express (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd is a company specially set up by all express bus operators in Sarawak to procure the management rights of Miri Central Station. Unlike the models where councils in Sibu, Serian or developers in Kuching, Bintulu manage the stations, Miri Central Station is the first in Sarawak to be managed by a third-party private company, pioneering innovation in the state's transportation industry.
Based on this unique cooperation model, KBE and Miri City Council have reached an agreement whereby the company pays rent in exchange for the management and usage rights of Miri Central Station.