The Star - Metro

THE Puduraya management UDA Holdings, the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board and the related agencies should be more pro-active in tackling the issue of the rising number of touts in the bus terminal.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) highlighted this at a press conference held on Sept 11.

In the last one week, the federation has received about 30 consumer complaints of various ticket-related problems, including expensive express bus tickets, especially during the festive season.

Fomca secretary-general Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said most victims could not tell the difference between touts and genuine ticketing agents.

Muhammad Sha’ani: Some of the buses are also leased out by the bus company to individual drivers

“Not only are the tickets sold at double or more than the normal price, customers are also made to walk far out from the main station to get into their buses which normally wait along the main road.

“The waiting causes inconvenience and those with luggages are forced to drag their bags along to get into the buses,” he said.

There were also complaints of Balik Kampung tickets being sold at double the price.

“Sometimes some of the buses are also leased out by the bus company to individual drivers. Although lawfully the buses have permits, the bus company is not managing the schedule for the particular trip.

“This results in irregular departure and arrival hours and unforeseen detours. What are the enforcement people doing?,” he asked.

To curb these problems, the federation has suggested that the Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development Ministry conducts a check and orders UDA Holdings to shut down all unlicenced ticket counters immediately.

“We also suggest that all ticket counters have a list of legal bus companies, approved routes, schedules and bus fares for easy reference and that bus tickets should only be sold at ticket counters.

“There should also be CCTVs to monitor touting activities at the terminal. Online ticket buying is another method to handle this problem,” he said, adding that there should be constant enforcement and raids at the bus terminal.