KUCHING (Oct 19): Sibu will be equipped with 13 new smart electric buses under a free public bus service expected to begin operating in the first quarter of 2027, following the success of the Smart Bus pilot project in Miri.

Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the service would cover Sibu’s urban area, including Sibujaya, Kemuyang, Ulu Sungai Merah and Rantau Panjang, as well as the lower and upper Lanang areas.

“Building on this momentum and improvement efforts, Sibu will be the next town to undergo the modernisation of public transport,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech at the DUN sitting here on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference later, Lee explained that the initiative was part of efforts to modernise public transport in Sibu by replacing old buses with new ones.

“The old buses in Sibu will be replaced with new buses, but the buses in Sibu will run on electricity, making them zero-emission buses,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lee told the DUN that after two years of operation, the New Smart Bus service in Miri continued to provide convenient public transport, with 14 buses operating across eight routes.

He said the service had recorded more than 1.82 million passenger trips as of September 2026, averaging 83,075 passengers per month from January to September this year.

“This achievement reflects the growing confidence and acceptance of public transport among the Miri community,” he said.

Additionally, he stated that the Bas.MY service in Kuching, implemented through a collaboration between the federal government and the Sarawak Ministry of Transport, has carried over 1.29 million passengers as of September 2026 since its launch in March 2025.

Lee said the service utilizes 56 new buses across 13 routes, averaging 82,204 passengers per month in 2026.

Credits: Churchill Edward, The Borneo Post 2026