Amali Munif Rahmat, president of the Federation of School Bus Associations Malaysia, said the monthly diesel quota of 1,800 litres at RM1.88 per litre allowed them to keep operational costs under control.

“We will not increase fares at this time but will maintain the current rates. I’m not sure which association or operator intends to raise fares, but it’s not us.

“For us, the 1,800-litre quota is sufficient to support our operations. If there is a need for more, additional quotas can be requested,” he told FMT.

On Monday, the government set the diesel price at RM3.35 per litre in the peninsula through the implementation of targeted diesel subsidies, which is expected to help Putrajaya save RM4 billion annually.

SKDS is a government initiative which allows fleet card recipients to purchase diesel at below retail price, as part of efforts to reduce the burden on public land transport and goods operators.

Besides SKDS, the government has also introduced the Budi Madani programme which provides RM200 on a monthly basis for private diesel vehicle owners, farmers, and smallholders.

Amali said school bus operators would need to review their fares if operational costs, such as spare parts and maintenance, increase in the future.

Malay Express Bus Operators Association Peninsular Malaysia president Laili Ismail also confirmed that the group’s members would not raise their fares at this time.

He said they would cooperate with the government to ensure that operational costs are maintained, but looked forward to additional initiatives.

“We will have a meeting with representatives from the finance ministry tomorrow to discuss what other assistance is available,” he said.