The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) has said that an integrated public transport system for major cities in Malaysia has been long overdue and should have been developed in the 1980s, according to The Star.
Chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye made the remark in response to a report the English language daily carried on Sunday, stating that the World Bank urged Malaysia to be serious in developing a more integrated public transport system, saying that gridlocks cost people valuable time and money.
Overall, Greater Kuala Lumpur jams caused motorists to waste between 270 and 500 million man-hours last year, totting up to losses of no less than RM3,100 per person per year inclusive of lost time and fuel.
“We hope to see more improvements when the MRT project is completed on schedule,” Lee said, with Hong Kong being used as an example of a well-integrated transport system – a single payment card (the Octopus card) is used on all trains, buses, ferries, trams and minibuses. He added that building more highways would not fix the problem, and that a good public transport system is the only solution out of this conundrum.
In addition to Kuala Lumpur, the World Bank also singled out Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Johor Bahru in its report as cities that are about to face the same mobility challenges. It added that the public transport usage in Kota Kinabalu sat at just 8%, while the transport planning around the East Malaysian city does not take into account land usage.
Kota Kinabalu state traffic police chief Supt Shahrum Hashim concurred with the report, saying that congestion problems have to be overhauled in a holistic manner, adding that the whole process should also include enforcement, engineering, environment and education needs.
“Traffic flow, transport system and congestion issues involve various departments and agencies such as the police, the city hall, Road Transport Department, engineers, and so on,” he said. “All of us need to sit together to discuss about this so that a long-term solution can be sought.”
Mayor of Kota Kinabalu Datuk Abidin Madingkir said that the implementation of comprehensive plans was dependent on funding from the federal government.
“We acknowledge among others the urgency to increase road and junction capacity to improve traffic congestion, modification of traffic flow to a one-way system to improve flow, and to have four main integrated bus terminals constructed,” he said, adding that the bus routing in the city will be revamped once the terminals were completed.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Simple understanding since cronies monopoly industry Malaysia fall behind 30-40 years against develop country.
Let stop the AP system first before we talk about vision 2020…
Instead of developing public transport since the 1980s, we wasted our time on developing Proton. Protection of Proton is more important than public transport
Everyone is Malaysia suffers because of Proton, not just the car buyers
No no no, suppose as protect cornices is prior then among.
1980s, i wonder if the delay is related to the nation embarking on a national car project????
If you were there back back in the 80es until early 90es, you’ll find that the Bas Mini service was so efficient plus there were not much disposable income to buy cars even when it was cheap back then. So there was no significant need for other mode of transportation.
Then came the prosperities years in the 90es where more people can afford cars plus the close down of Bas Mini service, KL traffic end up being what it is today.
So far this is the best comment here…very objective and straight to the point…unlike all those stupid and racist commments…
‘He added that building more highways would not fix the problem,’
our biggest misconception…highways fix jam..teeet…wrong!
The time wastage has caused productivity and out national GDP to be affected.
In 1980s, our nation had just witnessed the birth of Proton and instead of focusing on public transport, they marketed it to the public as a symbol of achievement of Malaysia. At that time the traffic was not as serious as this one.. But now as countless Malaysians got stuck in traffic jam along Federal Highway, LDP, DUKE, Jalan Kuching, etc… Our public transport has yet to see its glory days. A good public infrastructure will definitely affect the sales of Proton which rely solely on local market (bad marketing strategy overseas)
A sign of short term thinking by Malaysian politicians and policy makers for may years, and only now they realize their mistakes.
At least they did realize.
Late for KL but what are the plan for other cities? Must plan for the future or the same article will be repeated in the future.
Bang, they can’t even sketch out greater KL not to mention outskirt.
Chairman Tan Sri Lee, i guess you have to ask Tun M why the focus was on initiation of Proton instead of public transport in 1980s. You will defnitely get an answer from him.
Unfortunately an efficient transportation system is not beneficial for certain parties who always want to sell more tolled roads and bridges.
You don’t say?!!!
Bcuz of stunted public transport development, people NEED car, not a want anymore. Thus giving rise to many Zahras, freshie with freshie pay getting squeezed to the last ringgit every end of the month.
She storied she had to pay rm500 to her dad (not sure why she didn’t buy under her name, but whatever, not important why). That, if for 9 year loan, is roughly RM40k++ car. That’s probably a Myvi or Saga at max.
She’s being fairly sensible, she didn’t go overboard with Godcar or City. She merely got a basic local car that’s cheaper to buy and run. But is it cheap enough?
Of course not, that is why she struggles and vent it out to DPM.
Before people say she should have gotten a used car, think. I am owner of used car, and I admit the level of commitment, knowledge, passion and patience needed is beyond normal non-car enthusiast people capable of. All the more she’s a girl, I don’t mean to be sexist, but more likely she’s even clueless about car, just know she need to get A to B as reliable and affordable as possible. A brand new car is best option for her, manufacturer warranty so much more important for the likes of her.
Some say she should never get car and use LRT only, but I notice she’s a lawyer. I may be an auditor, it is also a professional career, and I understand a professional in Malaysia requires late hour beyond Godly hours from time to time. For a professional, own transport is necessary. Even if LRT runs 24 hours, safety is an issue when getting to/off the station reach her home.
Don’t get me started about using bikes. My heart goes out to innocent uncle killed by that reckless saga driver. Saving money is necessary, but life is far more important. I can never justify savings from riding for the risk you’re exposed to.
Some say she should get part time job. If the lawyer profession need their freshies to be weekend waiter, or mlm stockist just to afford Myvi/saga, that is quite degrading to the profession. Had the profession not been degraded enough by clown govt lawyers like Shafee and whoever that claimed Teoh Beng Hock self-strangled himself?
I still want to see lawyer profession respected, much like the late Tiger of Jelutong, a true lawyer who fought for the people. So please, the pay scale need to be at a level worthy of respect. But if that is already not enough to support a Myvi, KL room rental, etc cost of living, then something is very wrong with the economy.
#UniteAgainstRacism
Went of tangent at the 2nd part. But if you want to know when lawyers started to loose their profession, is when they started to take political stance.
As they say justice is blind but lawyers are sharks. They know where the fresh blood is a mile away.
Malaysia merely 30 milion population prompt severe traffic flow, cause by cornices need to be feed in all sector. Base in purpose isolate connection between each transportation which lead you on option but to take it by far.
Now only admit we need public transport badly after World Bank declared this as a source for Malaysia GDP waste thus scaring away Foreign Direct Investments. Guess why since 1980s this public transport issue was not bothered, an entity so called Malaysian Made Cars named Proton sprouted then later came the Tolled Road System to milk more money for shortsighted Malaysian thinking this is the way forward. Well better late then never even though it comes almost 3 decades later. When the buying stop so does the killing of Malaysian Household Pockets.
If only a certain prime minister isn’t so focussed on a certain car company…
Too long overdue.you dont say?![insert nicolas cage meme here]
You don’t say
Ministry of Transport? Nope. Ministry of Trouble. yeah I know, I worked here.
The type of city or township development we do here is the concentrated type. Nowadays we see condos, and commercial buildings are integrated and build in some small plot of land. A land that can fit a small number of low density structures are now planted with a very high density high rise.
Just take a good look at Petaling Jaya. Every new development is a high density project, but the roads are for a residential neighbourhood. There is a city planning guide residing in MBPJ. People should go there and take a look at it.
The authorities should take a study on countries that are similar to ours where everyone need a car or motorbike to move around due to the distance and also on the viability of public transportation. Their city planning is based on dispersion of the people over a larger area, and every type of building has its proper zoning. You don’t just build a mega shopping mall in the middle of a residential area where there are limited infrastructure access to it. Traffic jam lah.
By dispersing the population area over a larger area, you are not stressing the roads capability of handling its intended traffic volume. Hence reduce in traffic jams, reduce in pollution, reduce stress, and reduce in other social ills too like crime. Building more highways or roads or MRT, LRT won’t be able to do this.
The people are stuck in this Lubang because a group of people want to maximise profits, and best thing is the general public keep falling into the trap of making money for themselves by buying and selling the property or collecting rent from it. And this leads to the prices of property(houses) to keep going up. Don’t we realise just yet most of us are in debt for a large part of our lives. Is this healthy for everyone?
China, Jakarta, Bangkok even worse, God knows how many man-hours.
MIROS, you tak malu ka announcing that public transport overdue since 1980s???
duh??????
You know, without your stupid announcement, everybody working in KL already knows this problem la….
This MIROS dept and staffs are really makan gaji buta…