PENANG EXTENDS MUTIARA PASS FREE BUS SCHEME WITH RM7 MLN FUNDING

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The Penang State Government will continue funding 280,000 Mutiara Passes next year, with a total allocation of RM7 million, following the success of the Mutiara Pass and Free Bus programme.

State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the Mutiara Pass allows Rapid Penang bus services to be used free of charge throughout Penang.

“The state government began funding the Mutiara Pass on March 1, 2021, and as of last November, 246,934 passes have been subscribed to or renewed this year, averaging around 22,448 subscriptions per month.

“The Mutiara Pass has been increasingly well-received, with card purchases rising and ridership showing good growth each month,” he said in a statement today.

He added that the positive impact of public transport will continue to be felt next year, especially as Penang’s mega projects enter the construction phase.

Zairil said the state government will also maintain 15 free CAT Bridge buses in 2026, 10 buses for CAT 13 from Seberang Jaya to Bayan Lepas and five buses for CAT 14 from Bukit Mertajam to Komtar.

He said the state government believes that subsidising public transport can serve as a catalyst to encourage more Penang residents to switch to public transport as their preferred mode of travel over private vehicles.

“Indirectly, with the My50 Mutiara Pass subscription subsidy, users will also enjoy cost savings on petrol, parking and toll fares,” he said.

-- BERNAMA