MARA liner ready to help revive Malaysia's tourism industry - Mahdzir

KUALA NERANG: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) through its transportation company MARA Liner Sdn Bhd will help revive the country's tourism industry by providing transportation services to destinations under the tourism bubble pilot project, said Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said currently MARA Liner provides 174 bus trips a week from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Perlis to support the Langkawi tourism bubble initiative which was launched on Sept 16.

For this purpose, MARA had made it compulsory for all its MARA Liner bus drivers to complete their COVID-19 vaccination.

"And I think...with some states moving into Phase Two or Phase Three of the National Recovery Plan, I am confident that eventually when we are allowed to make interstate travels then we can revive the tourism industry," he said in a press conference after the handover ceremony of MARA Liner buses here today.

He said when the tourism industry recovers, it will give new life to the country's transportation industry and allow operators to return to normal operations.

Meanwhile, Mahdzir said the MARA Liner bus services continued to operate especially in rural areas although it was also badly affected by the spread of COVID-19 as well as by the movement restrictions prescribed by the government to curb the spread of the virus outbreak.

He said that in 2019, 83,000 passengers had used MARA Liner bus services nationwide, however last year the number dropped to 52,000 passengers before dipping further to only 12,000 passengers as of August this year.

Mahdzir said it was important to ensure that rural communities get the same quality transportation services as their urban counterparts, adding that MARA Liner took the responsibility to provide bus services in areas that are lacking in public transportation.

On today's ceremony, Mahdzir said two new buses were handed over to the MARA Liner workshop here that would benefit more than 200,000 residents as well as improve its service operations between Kuala Nerang and the Naka Bus Terminal, here.

-- BERNAMA