KUALA LUMPUR: Express bus operators will not suffer losses under the new requirement for tickets to be sold through terminals licensed by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.
He said operators had yet to fully understand the policy, adding that the ministry would hold engagement sessions to explain the move.
"There will be an engagement session to explain it to them. There is no loss to the bus companies," he said after opening the Transport Expo Asia 2026.
His remarks followed Apad's announcement that express bus tickets could only be sold through licensed terminals from Nov 1.
Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said the change had raised concerns among operators who had invested in developing their own websites and ticketing systems to facilitate ticket purchases.
Loke said the policy was aimed at restricting online ticketing agents (OTAs), which were mostly based overseas, from selling bus tickets and collecting commissions without providing services at the terminals.
"We want to restrict the OTAs. They sell these tickets and receive commissions, but they do not provide any services, including managing any services at the terminal," he said.
He added that the government also faced difficulties regulating OTAs, particularly when passengers sought refunds for services that were not provided.
"They are not licence holders. They sell the tickets, but if the service is not provided, we cannot regulate them when it comes to getting refunds," he said.
He said the move would improve ticket sales and terminal management while ensuring bus operators were not burdened with additional charges.
Loke said the government had ensured terminal operators could not charge more than the existing rates and hoped they would reduce the charges to provide better returns for bus companies.
Asked when engagement with bus operators would take place, Loke said discussions would be conducted between terminal operators and bus companies, as the matter involved business-to-business transactions.
"We only make the policy decision. In terms of transactions, it is between the terminal and the bus operators," he said.
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