KUALA LUMPUR: Subscription for Prasarana Malaysia Bhd's My100 and My50 travel passes within Klang Valley can only be made using the MyKad, MyKid and MyTentera documents.
"We are doing this to ensure this subsidised privilege of the My100 and My50 passes is enjoyed by Malaysians only," said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
"We want as many Malaysians to use the park-and-ride facilities. These unlimited travel passes on Prasarana's bus and train services within Klang Valley is not limited to low income group," he said.
The minister noted that the government is subsiding the My100 and My50 travel passes within Klang Valley.
"If Prasarana achieves 10,000 subscribers for these passes, the subsidy is RM1 million. If the subscribers build up to 120,000, the subsidy rises RM12 million. And if the number expands further to 200,000, the subsidy is RM4 million.
"As you can see, the more subscriber to the My100 and My50 train and bus passes, we can achieve better economies of scale. Under Budget 2019, the government has allocated RM240 million as the maximum or ceiling level for this subsidy," Loke added.
The minister was speaking to reporters after Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the My100 and My50 passes here today.
The My100 pass allows commuters to access unlimited ride for 30 days on all forms of RapidKL rail and bus transport, including mass rail transit (MRT), light rail transit (LRT), monorail, BRT Sunway, RapidKL buses and MRT feeder buses.
With the My50 pass, commuters can enjoy unlimited rides for a period of 30 days on all RapidKL buses and MRT feeder buses, but not the BRT Sunway.
Both the My100 and My50 passes are limited to the bus and train services operated by Prasarana within Klang Valley.
The My100 and My50 passes are not applicable on the Express Rail Link operating between KL Sentral and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and klia2.
Today, Loke introduced 10 athletes, including a Paralympian, as ambassadors of the My100 and My50 unlimited travel passes within Klang Valley.
"Our athletes are such good role models for the younger generation. They are even more popular than politicians and many of them have tremendous following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram," he said.
"The 10 chosen athletes are not given any endorsement fees except a free-of-charge My100 pass that expires after a year. We hope our athletes would execute their national service in encouraging more Malaysians to use public transport via their social media accounts," the minister added.
The social media popular athletes are Datuk Nicol Ann David (squash), Cheong Jun Hoong (diving), Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi (paralympic sprinter), Goh Liu Ying (badminton), Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi (bowling), Leong Mun Yee (diving), Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan (karate), Welson Sim Wee Sheng (swimming), Farah Ann Abdul Hadi (artistic gymnastic) and Julian Yee Zhi-Jie (figure skating).
In an interview, squash queen Nicol, who has more than 1.1 million followers on her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, is steadfast in her support for more Malaysians to use bus and train services as this would involve one to do a little bit of walking from stations.
"I'm honoured to be chosen as one of the athletes to endorse the My100 and My50 travel passes on the bus and train services within Klang Valley. Although I am based in Amsterdam, I would certainly use the My100 travel pass whenever I'm back here in Klang Valley," she said.
"I would promote and support Malaysians to adopt a more active lifestyle in using public transportation as there are park-and-ride facilities. I think we all can live a healthier life when we walk a little more in our daily activities," she added.
Malaysia's swimstar Welson concurred with Nicol that he would use the My100 travel pass to travel on the LRT from the Bukit Jalil station to KLCC, whenever he takes a break from training and meet up with friends in the city centre.
"I'm happy to be chosen with the other athletes to support the government's initiative to encourage usage of public transportation. I will do my part to spread the message to the public," said the swimmer, who has 80,000 followers on his Instagram account.
"I think the My100 and My50 travel passes would come in handy for college students (like some of my friends) and working people who use the bus and train services on a daily basis," said the 21-year-old who hails from Kuching, Sarawak.