Kota Kinabalu: DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Sabah chief Chan Loong Wei backed efforts by Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP Sabah) Chairman Phoong Jin Zhe to expand the Bas.My (Pink Bus) network, saying wider coverage could help ease household expenses and boost the local economy.
Chan said a family of four comprising two working parents and two school-going children could potentially save nearly RM600 a month, or more than RM7,000 annually, if improved bus connectivity eliminated the need to own a second car.
Under the current Bas.My fare structure, adults can enjoy unlimited rides for RM30 over 30 days, while eligible students, senior citizens aged 60 and above, and persons with disabilities can travel for free.
“This means a family with two working parents and two eligible school-going children would only need RM60 for their monthly bus passes,” he said.
Chan said inadequate public transport had long forced many working couples to own separate vehicles to commute to work, send their children to school and manage their daily responsibilities.
He said an entry-level car typically involved monthly instalments of RM300 to RM400, in addition to estimated fuel costs of RM250 to RM300, bringing basic monthly expenses to between RM550 and RM700, even before insurance, maintenance and parking costs were factored in.
“For example, avoiding the purchase of a second car with RM350 in monthly instalments and RM300 in fuel costs would save RM650. After accounting for two adult bus passes costing RM60, a household could still save approximately RM590 a month,” he said.
Chan said the benefits extended beyond immediate savings, as reduced dependence on car loans could improve young people’s financial flexibility and potentially strengthen their ability to qualify for housing loans.
He said many young Sabahans were forced to prioritise buying a car after entering the workforce, limiting their ability to save towards purchasing their first home.
“A reliable public transport system would give them greater freedom to allocate their income towards housing, education and family needs instead,” he said.
Chan also cited a commuter’s experience shared on social media, in which daily transport expenses between Putatan and Kota Kinabalu fell from more than RM30 to about RM17 after switching to a combination of e-hailing and Bas.My services via Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
He said such examples demonstrated how affordable public transport could make a meaningful difference to ordinary working families.
Beyond household savings, Chan said lower transportation costs could also translate into greater disposable income and stronger consumer spending.
“Money previously committed to car repayments and fuel could instead be spent at local restaurants, grocery stores, retail outlets and neighbourhood businesses, generating additional economic activity for Sabah’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” he said.
Chan said public transport should therefore be viewed not merely as an infrastructure project, but also as an economic policy capable of reducing household debt, supporting home ownership and strengthening local purchasing power.
He also thanked Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Phoong for advancing the Bas.My initiative, describing it as an important step towards developing a more modern and accessible public transport network in Kota Kinabalu.
Chan welcomed the authorities’ willingness to respond to public feedback, while acknowledging that the system still required improvements in route coverage, service frequency and connectivity.
According to LPKP Sabah, Bas.My Kota Kinabalu recorded 598,054 cumulative passenger journeys as of October 2026, reflecting demand for affordable public transport.
Chan, a former DAP candidate for Luyang, particularly welcomed the board’s approval of proposed route adjustments covering strategic locations such as Kepayan Ridge and Luyang Clinic.
He said the proposed improvements would benefit residents in Luyang, a densely populated residential and commercial area with substantial demand from working adults, students and senior citizens.
Chan urged the authorities to continue expanding Bas.My coverage into more residential neighbourhoods, particularly in Penampang, Putatan and surrounding areas, with priority given to improving connections between homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals and other essential services.
He acknowledged that the proposed adjustments remained subject to procurement contract amendments and approvals from the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Finance, and expressed hope that the necessary coordination could be expedited.
Chan said a modern city should not be measured by how many cars its residents owned, but by whether people had practical and affordable alternatives to driving.
“I hope that the existing eight-route Bas.My network will continue expanding, giving more Sabahans the freedom to travel without the financial burden of unnecessary vehicle ownership, while creating lasting benefits for families and the local economy,” he said.
