Fatimah speaks to reporters. — Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Sept 22): Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah has expressed her disappointment over Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong’s remarks in questioning the unavailability of Sarawak’s hydrogen buses for Para Malaysia Games (Sukma) athletes.
“At a time when everyone in Sarawak is working tirelessly, whether as part of the organising committee or providing direct or indirect support to the government, the right thing to do is to support our people, our athletes, and Sarawak, in being the best host possible,” she said.
The Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development shared this to the reporters when met at the launch of the Para Sukma Carnival at Dataran Perayaan in Petra Jaya here yesterday.
In a Facebook post, Yong had questioned the Sarawak government on why it did not make use of the hydrogen buses to cater to the needs of the Para Sukma athletes in the first place, instead of getting a total of 25 Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd buses from the Peninsular Malaysia.
In a response to Yong, Fatimah explained that the buses were specifically chosen for their disabled-friendly features.
“Unlike regular buses, the Rapid KL buses have ramps at the front, allowing easy access for both manual and motorised wheelchairs.
“The buses also provide ample space to accommodate up to eight wheelchairs per bus, with designated seating for the athletes’ assistants,” she explained.
Elaborating further, she said the Sarawak’s hydrogen buses were originally intended for public transport and tourism purposes, while the Rapid KL buses were more suited for the needs of the athletes, especially with 260 wheelchair-bound participants.
She further explained that the Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd had provided the buses without rental charges, out of their corporate social responsibility initiative, and that the state government only paid for their shipping costs.
“The main priority here is the smooth execution of Para Sukma, not the buses,” she said.