The Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumers'' Affair Datuk Sharir

BINTULU: Bintulu MP Dato Seri Tiong King Sing today announced a grant of RM30,000 for Bintulu School Bus Operator Association as a temporary measure to help their members curb the oil price hike. In a press statement received here, Tiong, who is also the chairman of the Parliament Back Bencher Club, hoped with such a measure, it would help the members pull through the difficult time now. He said help would be on the way from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumers' Affair for those who had yet to receive the oil subsidy cards.

He said the grant that he announced yesterday was to help those who had not received the oil subsidy or those who were in the process of applying.

He hoped with such a measure to lighten their higher cost of operation, the school bus operators would not hike their bus fares, or else, this would put a heavier burden on the parents of their students.

"I hope not to see such chaos as the nation is struggling with the inflation that comes with the global oil price hike."

Tiong said in his meeting with the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumers'' Affair Datuk Sharir Samad last Wednesday on the oil subsidies for school bus operators, "I have come to understand the work load they are going through now.

"There are currently too many applications to handle, and this might slow down the process. The ministry has explained to me the stages they have to go before an application is approved."

Therefore, with the grant announced yesterday, Tiong hoped it would help solve the financial problem of the school bus operators here temporary while they waited for the oil subsidy.

From the understanding of the application processing, Tiong felt there had been a lack of preparation in the ministry, and this was a partial reason for the delay in the application approval.

He hoped such work in the ministry would devided among their offices in all the states and districts, instead of the headquarters office handling the matter alone.

He hoped the other departments which were linked to such applications would work together with the ministry towards a faster process in the application.

He said he understood that some members of the school bus operator association here had yet to receive their subsidy and they were those who were still in the process of the application.

"I have instructed my service centre in town to help, and association members can approach us if they need our assistance."