SINGAPORE: Four tour bus companies based in Singapore had their permits revoked by Malaysian authorities after they breached cross-border transport regulations by offering unauthorised express bus services and selling tickets online, Malay Mail reported, citing Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
The agency said the suspension of the four companies—Cityline Travel, Luxury Coach, WTS Travel, and Leo City Coach, as identified by Lianhe Zaobao—took effect after APAD issued licence cancellations on April 29 and May 2.
According to Malaysian regulations, while foreign-registered buses are allowed in Peninsular Malaysia for tours that include overnight stays, they are not allowed to run express services or sell individual tickets online. Operators must also submit passenger lists and full travel itineraries, with all trips starting and ending in Singapore.
Malay Mail also cited Lianhe Zaobao reporting that three Cityline Travel buses were stopped at a Malaysian checkpoint on Sunday (May 4) while heading back to Singapore with passengers.
Cityline Travel and Luxury Coach both issued public responses.
In a statement on Facebook on Wednesday (May 7), Cityline, which operates from Chinatown, said the suspension stemmed from “policy matters that are presently under review by the relevant authorities”.
“Cityline Global is actively engaging with the appropriate regulatory bodies in the hope of reaching a resolution as swiftly as possible. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and greatly appreciate your understanding and continued support during this time,” the travel company said.
It added that it will temporarily suspend its Singapore and Malaysia services, gradually cancel affected trips, and begin processing refunds through its booking platform.
Orchard Plaza-based Luxury Coach, in its statement on Facebook on Wednesday (May 7), said, “The nature of our tours, pricing structure, and added services differ significantly from those of Malaysian-registered express buses. However, due to the flexibility we provide—especially with online return bookings—there has been a misunderstanding that we are competing directly with local express services targeting Malaysian commuters.”
“We are currently working with the relevant authorities to work things out and to position ourselves correctly by not breaching any laws,” it added.
Luxury Coach is also providing refunds for already purchased tickets and arranging transfers for commuters through a partner operator.
Both travel services have temporarily suspended all Malaysia-bound services.
Meanwhile, WTS Travel has made no public comment yet, while its website currently lists its booking system as “under maintenance.” The company operates from several major malls in Singapore, including Suntec City, AMK Hub, and Causeway Point.
The affected companies had been running services to well-known destinations in Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Resorts World Genting.
Currently, only 23 bus operators from the city-state have approval to run services into Malaysia. Still, they must follow rules that prohibit them from operating as express services, which are only reserved for Malaysia-registered companies. /TISG
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