We have a solemn looking politician sitting ever so cosily in an ever so clean and orderly bus.
We have this title on the paper :
Operators: No lack of buses from the start
“We have 40 buses, with only 50% of them plying at any one time,†he said, adding that he was trying his best to meet the standards set by the government for buses.
On April 5, state executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said bus companies could rent school, tour or factory buses if they did not have enough vehicles to meet demand.
My two older sons take the public buses home every afternoon. This is what they told me.
“There is no difference to the new routing. In fact it is even worse because nowadays, the bus is so packed we can’t even get down. Students hang on the door handle, dangling outside.”
(The above photo was taken by my son while I was driving him along Pulau Tikus. The boy hanging on the door is only a primary school student, probably 11 or 12 years old, from the colour of his school pants.)
At least they are lucky because their school is located near the jetty where the bus route starts so they have seats available. And they do not need to change bus.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out when the rush hour is and to schedule more buses to ply that route. Even your bus drivers and students can do this simple thing. Ask them and they will tell you. For the school children’s sake, why can’t both the State Government and public buses operators sit down and get this done? Do we have to wait till some poor kid fell off the bus and got rolled over by some vehicles before we need to do it? Can’t you all put aside the $$ and cents and think of the hardship of the users?
Don’t fool us with nice photos and big politicians faces to assure us that everything is working like clockwork. It is not. You cannot come down from your 59th floor, posh, aircond office to take one single bus trip to assess the situation. It takes responsible citizens like me to tell you that it is NOT ok. I had seen enough of students risking their lives chasing after crowded buses, fighting to get on that rare bus to get home. (yeah, I do drive in my posh, aircond car to pick my children occasionally when they need it but it is more convenient for their younger siblings if the older ones just take the bus instead of younger siblings going out together with me in the hot sun and kiasu parents jam)
our public transportation sux…simple enough
i haven’t been on a public bus in penang since 5-6 years ago..There’s only 2 bus that passes my house and i still have to walk along way home.
There’s a new bus stop right infront of my house now prior to the new route, but i have never seen a single bus passes before also.
accidents have happened, chidren have been maimed. there will be a big hoo-haa on he papers for 2 days. On the third day, all is forgotten until another accident happens. Malaysians Bloeh mah.
There is something VERY VERY wrong with the way the people in suits are trying to solve Penang’s bus woes. And that’s only the tip of the bigger public transport system, which includes the taxis where drivers NEVER NEVER use the meter. And oh, while we’re at public transport, they should also do something for the trishaw men.
ya la.. i agree 100% with u! the so-called ‘spot-checks’ by the big shots are just for show only. They should go as a normal citizens taking the bus. Only then they will know how we suffer when we take those stupid buses! aiyah.. if i were the driver and bus operator or course i’d put up an act and pretend as though everything was in order la.. afterall i’m ferrying some big-shot woh… if the minister or state councillor really wants to do his work properly and to know our agonies and grievances, then take the bus like any of us would take.. lose all the fancy do of reporters and photographers la! then u’ll know your fate.. *imagines all the ministers and state councillors clinging on for dear life on the ceiling bars of the bus and fighting for seats or being cramped up in a sardine and breathing in hot and smelly air*!
*sardine can… lol
For the authorities to take action, it would be very effective if you sent this picture your kid took to every single newspaper (Chinese, Malay, English, Tamil) in Penang. The picture should be sent constantly over a period of a month. I’m sure then the authorities will wake up. Its becos we, the citizens don’t pursue the matter often and firmly enough, those idiots get away with lots of slack.
Vote them out of office. Whoever is reponsible. Have the voters rally around this photo and you can achieve results. How can anyone allow children to be put in such danger?
Take more photo like this and stick to the face of whoever is responsible.
They really thought the citizens are idiots.
When accident happened oledi, then oni the authorities take action. They never learn la.
Maybe this is Malaysian style, LOL.
Once I reached my area LRT Station, I saw loads of passengers rushing up to the bus (the bus frequency isn’t that good though). The situation is something like your picture. Schoolboys and schoolgirls also rushed to get the bus. And the bus was so packed and heavy, until the deck is only 1.5 cm above the ground level. I was shocked when I looked at that. But luckily the bus managed to make a turn without any problem.
This happens 20 years ago, and continue next 20 years 🙂
That’s my ONLY interpretion of Bolehland vision 20,20. 😉
Damn … don’t the so-called leaders care anymore ?? I’m still not convinced our public transportation will make the grade – not for a long, long time anyways.
i still remembered some typical scenes on most of the public bus here at penang;
1)dirty unswept floor (ciggarettes,bus tickects,sand,plastic etc)
2)mosquitoes flying around
3)absents of bell button (we gotta scream to da driver,OI MAU TURUN DEPAN!!)
4)BROKEN SEAT(S)
5)cracked windows
6)can actually look wats on the tar road thru hole(S) while u’re in the bus such as potholes,sampah,dead rat (etc)
—-worse still,now the driver——-
1)talking on the hp while driving (makes me felt SO irritated)
2) smoke while driving (ISHK! SI KUI)
3) rude towards the poor passenger (will scold if passangers refuse to move further at the back)
so,Malaysia Boleh! marilah kita mara ke wawasan 2020
swt,jz imagine wats on foreigners’ mind,wat they’ll tell to their friends back then???
can anyone get Mr.Teng Hock Nam on plain shirt WITHOUT mass media around n take da bus from his house to KOMTAR,walk around da stand and take another bus back home??
-kam siah alot –