PENANG: Existing bus companies are expecting to suffer heavy losses when RapidPenang starts operating in August.
KGN-Hin Bus Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Hamid Araby Md Salih said this was because RapidPenang – a subsidiary of RapidKL, which is owned by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd – was more financially secure. “We cannot compete with them as RapidKL is government-backed and they can afford to buy these new buses while we have to manage with the ones we have.
“It's a case of placing a cucumber next to a durian with all its thorns,” he said. He added that running a bus company was not a lucrative business and with RapidPenang joining the fray the existing companies would find it difficult to stay afloat. Hamid was commenting on newspaper reports that 150 RapidPenang buses would be plying the streets here by August.
Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop was reported to have said that RapidPenang would service all main and feeder roads to complement existing bus services. Hamid added that KGN-Hin directors would meet in two weeks to decide on the next course of action.
Hmmm .. this is nothing more than a case of getting caught with your pants down ... Hey .. stop whinning as if you didn't know the name of the game (ABBA, hehehehe, for those who know ..). What were you expecting?? Should have done a futures' scenario planning for what may lie ahead .. what if, after we have been giving mediocre service to the public; someone might come to take over the operations, public might boycott your transport or whatever ..
