KUALA LUMPUR: The introduction of the My50 unlimited travel pass for the use of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad’s rail and bus services in the Klang Valley can encourage Malaysians to use public transport and revitalise the country’s economy, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
He said the My50 unlimited travel pass, which begins on Jan 1, replaces the My30 unlimited travel pass, which was introduced by the government under the Penjana (National Economic Recovery Plan) scheme in June 2020.
“The promotion period for My30 ends on Dec 31, 2021 and it will be replaced with a RM50 per month travel pass, which was announced by the Finance Minister in Budget 2022 on Oct 29, with RM115mil set aside for the initiative,” Dr Wee told a press conference to announce the introduction of the My50 travel pass at the Gombak LRT Station yesterday.
He said the My50 travel pass is proof of the government’s concern for the welfare of the people, especially in the current challenging situation in line with the aspirations of the “Malaysian Family”.
The My50 travel pass, which is offered exclusively to Malaysians, provides unlimited rides on all public transport services operated by Prasarana such as the LRT, MRT, BRT, Monorail and Rapid KL stop-and-go buses as well as Jom Naik MRT shuttle buses. Consumers only need to pay RM50 for 30 consecutive days of unlimited rides.
The My50 travel pass is also available in Penang for unlimited use of the Rapid Penang bus service under the Pas Mutiara label.
“For Penang, the travel pass will be called the My50 Mutiara Pass and can be used on the Rapid Penang bus service,” said Dr Wee.
He added that the government has allocated a RM115mil subsidy to cover costs incurred by Prasarana in providing world-class public transport.
Savings on the move: Dr Wee after speaking to reporters on the travel pass at the LRT station in Gombak. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
“With the introduction of My50 travel pass and with the continuous development of the National Recovery Plan, we are confident that 2022 will see an increase in the number of passengers using Prasarana-operated services,” he said.
Before the outbreak of Covid-19, Prasarana used to handle up to 1.1 million passengers a day in 2019, said Dr Wee.
“With its capacity and capability, Prasarana is able to increase the frequency of trains and buses it operates if demand increases while ensuring passengers continue to enjoy a comfortable, smooth and safe journey,” added Dr Wee.
Although it is a huge investment for the government to provide the unlimited travel pass, Dr Wee said it is crucial to do so as the public transport sector plays a role in the well-being of the people and the economic development of the country.
“As emphasised by the Prime Minister when launching the Malaysian Family Pass on Nov 22, public transport has a big role in achieving aspirations of the Malaysian Family.
“Efficient public transport services will also encourage the development of commercial activity and generate economic growth.
“Therefore, it is my sincere hope that the people continue to support public transport services and use the facilities provided by the My50 unlimited travel pass to revitalise the country’s economy in the spirit of Malaysian Family unity,” Dr Wee added.
Although the My30 travel pass expires on Dec 31, Dr Wee said those who bought the travel pass and the Mutiara Pass on that day could continue to enjoy the facility until Jan 30, 2022 before switching to the My50 pass.
In the Klang Valley, the public can purchase the My50 travel pass at Rapid KL customer service offices at all LRT, MRT, Monorail and BRT (Sunway Line) stations.
The pass is also available at selected Rapid KL bus hubs such as Pasar Seni, Chow Kit, KLCC, Sri Nilam, Puchong Utama, Pearl Point, Sunway Pyramid, Greenwood and Section 2 Shah Alam.
Purchasing locations in Penang are at selected Rapid Penang kiosks such as Komtar, Weld Quay (Terminal B), Penang Sentral, Bukit Jambul Rapid Penang headquarters (Lorong Kulit), Dato Kailan Complex (Kepala Batas), Balik Pulau and Bukit Mertajam.