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The Star

A van service for patients

KANGAR: The Transport Minis­try will soon introduce a new service, Medik, under the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme to provide accessible transport for passengers with limited mobility, says Anthony Loke. The Transport Minister said the initiative will require operators to provide at least one dedicated van to serve passengers using wheelchairs or travelling to clinics or dialysis centres. 'The Medik service will be offered at an affordable fare,' Loke said at the launch of the SBST Kangar service with Perlis Mentri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli yesterday, Bernama repor­ted. He noted that transportation remains a challenge for many patients, particularly those who require frequent medical treatment. 'For example, dialysis patients typically need to travel three times a week. Taking a taxi to and from the centre can cost RM20 to RM30 per trip, which is a heavy burden. Loke stated that the government has allocated significant funds to provide this service, aiming to assist the public, especially those in urban areas. — Bernama 'With Medik, the van will pick them up from home and take them directly to the ­treatment centre at a much lower fare. 'This service will be introduced by bus operators soon,' he said. Loke said the Federal Govern­ment has allocated RM39.7mil over five years to support the continued operation of Kangar to enhance public transport access and improve the well-being of residents. The service in Kangar currently operates nine routes, including a cross-border link to Alor Setar, Kedah, which should be fully utilised by the public, he added. Ready to roll: The SBST Kangar service was officially launched at Dataran Dato Sheikh Ahmad in Kangar, Perlis. — Bernama 'Before the Covid-19 pande­mic, SBST Kangar recorded a monthly ridership of around 30,000 passengers from 2016 to 2019. However, for the first half of 2025, the monthly average has dropped to just 12,071 passengers,' he said. Loke believes the service has room for significant growth and issued a challenge to Kangar operators to restore pre-pandemic ridership levels. 'To achieve this, operators must step up promotional efforts and actively engage all segments of the community in Kangar and across Perlis,' he said.