17/05/2026

NATIONAL 4 theSun on Sunday MAY 17, 2026

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

RM1.5m more to upgrade KL bus stops, walkways

Over 15,000 turtle hatchlings released in Penang since 2021 BALIK PULAU: Thanks to sustained conservation efforts, 15,822 turtle hatchlings have been released into the sea at the Pantai Kerachut Turtle Conservation and Information Centre here since 2021. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said during the same period, 273 turtle landings were recorded and 24,357 turtle eggs were collected at the conservation centre, located within the Penang National Park. He said this success proves that marine biodiversity conservation in the state can be carried out consistently, despite challenges such as pollution and coastal development. “Turtles are natural treasures with immense ecological, tourism and educational value for Penang, particularly in boosting the state’s eco-tourism agenda. “Development and conservation cannot operate in isolation. The state must progress, but we must also preserve environmental balance so that natural treasures such as turtles do not go extinct.” Chow said coastal areas on the western side of Penang, including Pantai Teluk Bahang and Pantai Teluk Kampi Beach, have been identified as key landing sites for the Agar and Lipas turtle species. He added that these areas are sensitive habitats that remain free from excessive light and noise pollution, which could otherwise disrupt turtle landing and hatching processes. “For 2025, there were 67 turtle landings, with 6,470 eggs collected and 4,586 hatchlings released into the sea.” He said visitor statistics to the conservation centre have shown encouraging growth, with 154,302 visitors recorded from 2021 to April last year. – Bernama SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government yesterday launched the Bantuan Rahmah Insan Istimewa Selangor 2026 programme to expand existing support for the welfare of persons with disabilities (PwDs). State Women Development and Social Welfare Committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the initiative, under the Yayasan Anak Istimewa Selangor, is a rebranding of the Bantuan Khas Anak Istimewa Selangor. She said the programme introduces several significant improvements, including a new category of assistance for disability-friendly residential toilet facilities with RM1,500 in aid, as well as assistance of RM1,200 for medication, supplements and other special needs. “The additions are intended to ensure facilities and basic healthcare needs for PwDs at home are better maintained and more comfortable. The age limit for beneficiaries has also been increased from 18 to 60 years old, enabling adult PwDs to access assistance for equipment, medical needs and therapy support.” Anfaal said the programme will retain existing support, including RM1,200 in assistance for therapy centre fees, up to RM3,000 for special equipment and RM120 for special education school fees. She also said the submission of supporting documents for applications under the initiative will be conducted entirely online to expedite the approval process and ease matters for parents and guardians. Applications for the programme will open from June 1 at 8.30am until 5pm on June 22 via the official website at www.yanis.org.my/brais. – Bernama Initiative expands support for PwDs

stop conditions. “There are locations without proper walkways forcing commuters to walk along grass verges or uneven surfaces. During rainy weather, the situation becomes even more challenging. “There are two key components in this initiative, including bus stop infrastructure upgrades and pedestrians connectivity improvements. “In collaboration with the Housing and Local Government Ministry, we have constructed 344 bus stops and 24 walkway projects totalling approximately 7.5km since 2025, with all works fully completed in March 2026,” he said. Ku Jamil added that while priority will be given to locations along Prasarana-operated routes, the upgraded infrastructure will remain accessible to all public transport users including other bus operators and taxis. “Although most of the bus stops serve our routes, they are open for use for other buses and taxis. There are no restrictions,” he said. Ku Jamil also highlighted that Prasarana conducted feasibility studies, traffic assessments and bus lane evaluations prior to submitting the proposal to the government. “We undertook the necessary studies and presented the proposal before receiving support from the ministry. Prasarana is the implementing agency for this initiative,” he said. He added that the upgraded bus stops are expected to carry joint branding between City Hall and Prasarana as part of the collaboration. Earlier, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the ministry has approved an extra allocation of RM1.5 million to City Hall to build and upgrade bus stops, following complaints about the lack of proper facilities at several locations in Kuala Lumpur. Loke said each bus stop costs between RM15,000 and RM30,000 to build or upgrade, and the allocation is expected to cover 100 bus stops. He said a similar initiative was carried out in Penang with local authorities, expressing hope that City Hall would be quicker in implementation as the 100 bus stops there took six months compared with a possible three-month timeline in Kuala Lumpur. programme also aims to foster greater public appreciation for bus captains, whose roles go beyond driving to include ensuring passenger safety under varying traffic and operational conditions. He said participants were selected on a random basis but prioritised actual bus users, including daily commuters, frequent passengers, members of transport-focused online communities, as well as selected influencers and community leaders. He added that participants highlighted several areas for improvement, including enhanced accessibility features, vehicle design upgrades and potential expansion of existing routes. – BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI

for projects involving City Hall, Shah Alam City Council, Petaling Jaya City Council, Selayang Municipal Council, Kajang Municipal Council, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and Pulau Pinang City Council. “Subsequently, another RM1.5 million was allocated to City Hall to further enhance infrastructure improvements,” he told reporters after the Ride or Latte with Rapid KL programme yesterday. According to Ku Jamil, the initiative is part of a larger RM15 million allocation over three years under the 13th Malaysia Plan. “Under this arrangement, local authorities are given the flexibility to determine implementation approaches. “We provide the allocation and municipalities decide how best to implement the upgrades. If costs can be optimised, more improvements can be delivered,” he said, adding that under this initiative, approximately 264 bus stops are expected to be constructed using the 2026 fund allocation. Ku Jamil exphasised that the initiative originated from Prasarana following detailed studies and on-ground assessments of existing bus

KUALA LUMPUR: An additional RM1.5 million provided by the Transport Ministry to Kuala Lumpur City Hall is set to enhance bus stop facilities and pedestrian connectivity in Kuala Lumpur. Rapid Bus acting CEO Ku Jamil Zakaria said the allocation is part of a broader long-term initiative proposed by Prasarana to improve public transport infrastructure and commuter accessibility. He said the funding follows a similar implementation model carried out in which allocations are channelled through local authorities allowing greater flexibility in execution. “Initially, RM5 million was allocated Funding channelled through local authorities to allow flexibility in improving infrastructure Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Ku Jamil said the upgraded facilities are expected to prioritise locations along Prasarana-operated bus routes, although the infrastructure will remain accessible to other public transport operators. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

Engagement sessions boost Rapid KL services KUALA LUMPUR: Rapid KL continues to enhance its public transport service framework by structured engagement sessions “Ride or Latte with Rapid KL”, which allow passengers to observe operations and provide direct feedback. Its acting CEO Ku Jamil Zakaria said the initiative aims to expose participants to the day-to-day workings of bus services, while also gathering real-time feedback to improve service quality. challenges we face and our commitments to improving services. “This year’s edition saw around 150 participants and the feedback has been positive, with participants welcoming the behind-the-scenes exposure. “Compared with the first edition, the programme now offers a more comprehensive experience beyond depot operations, allowing participants to observe multiple aspects of the public transport ecosystem.”

He added that the objective is to build stronger understanding between passengers and operators, particularly on operational challenges and ongoing efforts to improve service delivery. “We want passengers and the media to understand how we operate, the

Looking ahead, he said Rapid Bus aims to diversify participation further by including different user groups, such as persons with disabilities and other segments of the community. Ku Jamil emphasised that the