SUBANG JAYA: School bus operators should keep their vehicles in top condition now that the Government is paying for an insurance scheme for their student passengers, says Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.
He said the scheme, to be coordinated by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), would see the Government paying the premiums.
"This shows the Government is caring and we pay a lot of attention to the welfare of students.
"With this, I also hope the bus operators will keep their buses in tip-top condition," he said after visiting the newly-built SJKC Tun Tan Siew Sin in Putra Heights yesterday.
He said that almost a third of 5.4 million students in the country take school buses.
However, Dr Wee explained that students who car pool or take public transportation to school would not be eligible for coverage.
The insurance scheme was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during the tabling of the 2013 Budget in September.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said on Tuesday that the scheme would provide coverage for personal accident, permanent disability and death with a limit of RM100,000.
On SJKC Tun Tan Siew Sin, Dr Wee said the building was close to completion and that the school board had obtained nearly all approvals for the Certificate of Completion and Compliance.
"They are going to submit the letter to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council and I hope that there will not be any more hiccups," he said, adding that previously, the council had laid down many conditions for the building, some of which he said were "unreasonable".
SJKC Tun Tan Siew Sin is one of six Chinese schools promised by the Government in 2008 and cost RM6mil to be built.
It is expected to be operational on Jan 2 and can accept about 1,700 students per session in 36 classrooms.
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