GEORGE TOWN: Following overwhelming response, the Penang government has decided to continue funding the Pas Mutiara programme, allocating RM7 million for 280,000 passes in the upcoming year.
State Infrastructure and Transportation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said that Rapid Penang bus services would remain free throughout the state in 2025 under this initiative.
The Penang government introduced the Pas Mutiara programme on March 1, 2021.
As of November 2024, a total of 194,497 passes have been subscribed or renewed, with an average of 17,682 new subscriptions per month.
"The Pas Mutiara has gained significant popularity, with steady increases in both card sales and ridership. This trend is expected to continue, especially with the introduction of new bus routes via Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) for on-demand bookings," he said in a statement.
He also confirmed that the state would maintain 15 free CAT Bridge buses for 2025.
Ten buses will operate on the CAT 13 route from Seberang Jaya to Bayan Lepas, while five buses will cover the CAT 14 route from Bukit Mertajam to Komtar.
Zairil said that funding subsidies for public transport would encourage more Penang residents to use public transit instead of private vehicles, resulting in savings on petrol, parking, and tolls.
Since February 2021, the state has offered free, unlimited rides on all Rapid Penang buses, initially introduced to ease commuter burdens during the Covid-19 pandemic. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/02/668917/free-unlimited-bus-rid...
This initiative has continued annually ever since.