Govt may allow terminal to become pick-up point - The Star

May 22, 2008

PERAK may consider allowing northbound express buses to pick up passengers from the now defunct Medan Kidd bus terminal in Ipoh.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said this was one way to solve the problems faced by bus operators and traders whose businesses were affected when the terminal’s operation was shifted to Medan Gopeng in October 2004.

“We understand the difficulties faced by those who are based here after the terminal was shifted.

“From what I know, although there are 50 shop lots here, only 30 over traders are still operating as the rest had stopped operation due to bad business,” he said during a visit to Medan Kid bus terminal.

Nizar said that by allowing certain northbound buses to stop by the terminal to pick up passengers, the volume of customers patronising the shops would increase.

He said the matter would be brought up at the state exco meeting soon so that a quick win-win solution could be prepared for the traders there.

“We do not want either party to be victimised, whether those here at Medan Kidd or those at Medan Gopeng.

“We hope the traders will be patient and give us some time to come up with a good solution for everyone to benefit from,” he said.

Nizar added that Medan Kidd terminal could also be improved with better facilities like toilets and a surau in order to attract more customers to patronise the shops there.

“We could get the city council’s assistance on the matter to see what we can do to develop this place,” he said.