Smart Selangor Operator’s Blunder Strands Subang Jaya Commuters

Turns out the recent chaos faced by Smart Selangor commuters in Subang Jaya wasn’t due to bureaucratic red tape after all – but rather, a textbook case of blame deflection.

While early claims pointed fingers at the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) for allegedly dragging its feet, the agency has now clarified that the real issue lay elsewhere – namely, with the bus operator, SKS Coachbuilders Sdn Bhd.

In its statement, APAD revealed that SKS only submitted the necessary permit applications on April 25 and 26 — significantly later than expected. Despite this, the agency says it processed the five applications according to standard procedures, within 14 working days of submission.

The catch? SKS reportedly failed to meet a few basic requirements, including compliance with GPS installation standards and the submission of valid approval letters. As a result, full approval was delayed until May 22, once these conditions were finally met.

The operational approval letter was issued via APAD’s iSPKP system on May 23.

This oversight from SKS left commuters to bear the brunt of the disruption. Routes SJ01 through SJ05 were out of service, forcing many to find alternative transport — often at greater cost and inconvenience.

Unsurprisingly, frustration mounted, and speculation swirled about delays on APAD’s end.

“The delay wasn’t due to any backlog or inefficiency on our part,” the agency stated. APAD underscored its commitment to fair and timely licensing but urges all public transport operators to meet deadlines and comply with set standards to avoid unnecessary disruptions.