City dwellers should use the bicycle as a mode of transport, said Netherlands Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag. Speaking at the ‘Cycling Kuala Lumpur’ event in conjunction with World Urban Forum 9 (WUF9), Kaag said cycling is a common mode of transport in the Netherlands, with 36% citing cycling as their daily transport.
“This high frequency of bicycle travel is enabled by excellent cycling infrastructure such as cycle paths, cycle tracks within the city and by making cycling routes shorter, quicker and more direct than car routes,” said Kaag. “Today, the Netherlands counts more bicycles than inhabitants and cyclists spend less time in traffic jams and their quality of life has improved,” she said in a Bernama report.
Also present were Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizzudin Puta Jamalullail, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Tan Sri Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz and UN-Habitat executive director Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif. Maimunah said ‘Cycling Kuala Lumpur’ is a living testament of the steps to become a more sustainable and liveable city by investing in smart mobility solutions and cycling infrastructure.
Maimunah said the cycling lanes recently laid out on Kuala Lumpur streets is aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle and reducing the city’s carbon footprint. “It is also an alternative to complement the public transport system and reduce the use of private cars to minimise city pollution,” she said.
The recent installation of the cycling lanes for WUF9 and future use by residents – as seen in the photo above by Cycling Kuala Lumpur – around the Kuala Lumpur city centre attracted controversy after road-users alleged the layout of the lane and the lane separators posed a danger. The lane separators were later changed to plastic poles, while DBKL said it would be conducting a safety audit of the lanes, along with a month-long study by safety institute MIROS.
This is Msia, not Amsterdam. No way ppl want to cycle to work etc.
As usual, locals r great at hving targets & promises, terrible at Executing. How to convince Rempits to follow redlights? How to convince Eskimos to buy ice?
These bicycle lanes are snake-like. Don’t tell me is part of your pre-GE14 handout contracts. I don’t wanna runover by mat rempit or car coming out from parking lo.
Kapcais must be banned from entering KL.
Should include all highways as well. Highways are not for zigzaggers
Its highly dangerous to ride a bicycle in KL. No one cares about you and most likely to meet with an accident. Also don’t forget about snatch thieves etc. The weather is also not conducive.
Netherlands is a highly civilised first world country hence dont compare.
She must have been smoking something nice from Amsterdam to come up with a statement like that.
Dumbo. What if you leave at 7 am and go home at 6:30. Live in KLCC. Why not
When more people cycle… the danger factor reduces
Its logic! It won’t work cause Malaysia is hot and HUMID. Sigrid Kaag should try cycling in Malaysia for a month.
He don’t need to cycle in Malaysia for a month. He come out from air con already sweating. This idea of promoting bicycling is a typical situation where our no brain leaders go visit other countries using our money for shopping and start to copy something from that country without using brains. The best part is that all the senior government offices also will stupidly support so that their pension is not effected
waiting for our PM and Datuk Bandar to start riding bicycle in the city too.
no escort, just cycle.
if Netherlands PM can do it, why cant he?
sembang je lebih
You are a genius. A leader must give a good example. In other words he could keep fit too.
Baru buat je basikal line dah kecoh. Buat pun ada sebab UN datang malaysia ada meeting. .
Ms Sigrid Kaag didn’t mention KL residents.
She only mentioned ‘city dwellers’.
KL residents is kampung dwellers is it?
Its a good move but they forgot about what happens if it rains heavily. Our weather here is extremely hot and humid compared to overseas.
Normally i dont comment on this but i just cant help myself with this because this Netherlands fellow is just ignorant how hot our weather can be sometimes, snatch thieve, reckless drivers, and pot holes…etc…generally in most part of europe, it is suitable to cycle due to many factors, be it weather or road condition , also they have laws which protect cyclist from cars in the case of accident, cars in Germany are oblige to give ways for pedestrian and cyclist at junctions and exit points. I already know some will say i am such “”cici” cannot stand the scorching sun, well, try to commute everyday with bicycle to work an see. Of course i condone cycling, i love to cycle but just by laying blue paint on the road and ask ppl to cycle is plain dumb.
Is the transport authority in our country that simple minded? Guys please criticize me!
In Netherlands the bikers know how to brake…here…these holier than thou flers in spandex don follow traffic laws and can barely handle their bikes properly
This Netherland minister should be given free bicycle and let him cycle around KL city first.. Just one day I bet he will regret came here and talk cock.
Our grand parents used to ride Trishaw in their time travelling from a place to another side of city center without any issues. What are you talking about.
Emphasis should be “in their time”. Obviously, “in their time” the city had less people and cars.
If “our grand parents” (definitely not my grandparents!) try to do it “this time”, they’ll be thinking what have you been smoking when you put up that kind of comment.
Lol! Good one
menteri pergi parliment naik basikal dulu.. jgn pakai rider, jgn pakai kereta
Another nonsense statement from another dedak-eating minister
You mean our Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Mr Sigrid Kaag?
Lolz! Deswai I said, basher dun read the article just the headlines then straight bash.
Hahaha! Padan muka kena kantoied by other readers.
hahaha!!
it really shows these people have so much anger inside them that they’re loose cannons
relax bro, they’re all just paid guns. they don’t know what they’re saying
And then they get all their people to thumbs up their stuff…
Mr Fakename here is trying too hard with his FAKE NEWS
Canour minister cycle?
Sigrid Kaag.
Try cycle in our 80% humidity hot day for once, is it as pleasant as cycling in Rotterdam?
Average Netherlands
17°C
90mm rain
Average Malaysia weather
28°C (can go high up to 35°C)
290mm rain
Basah habis!
Basah panas!
Basah air hujan!
I think the pundits who have commented on this topic have never cycled before…?
I ride bicycles as much as i possibly can – even though sometimes due to commitments, i can only do some weeknights and weekends.
In my opinion, the weather argument is not valid in this case. this is because, the people who cycles would not mind the weather, as long as there is facilities i.e. showers at their end destination i.e. office. for people who don’t cycle of course this is a deterent to them but I would say more and more people are willing to cycle in our climate.
the only reason I don’t cycle to work is one thing only – I have no route that is safe enough for me to ride confidently. I don’t have proper shower in my workplace but I think I can make do ‘director’ wash room in my office.
Please don’t ridicule the cycling in the city thingy. It’s the future and I appreciate gomen effort to advocate this cause. Bravo!
Bro. Those who bash r jeles seeing u pipu going to work on time while they get stuck in jams. Let them be.
Well people comment for the sake of commenting, either purely out of herd mentality, ill-informed understanding/perception and most of time, in total out of context manner. But I wouldn’t blame them either. The authorities and NGOs are could do more to educate mindsets rather than just laying the hardware alone.This is an effort to reduce carbon footprint in the city by reducing emissions; ie by reducing number of motorised vehicles and getting more to take the eg public transport; whenever possible. Bicycles then are a great last-mile medium to get to the final destination. It’s not just asking everyone to cycle from Klang to KLCC.
Company pay you to work, not mandi hello.
Arrive early to workplace due to no jams, then mandi b4 work hours. Understand?
I was so fed up of driving in kl that I took up commuting by bicycle. 1 year on, I feel I am qualified to say a few things. The weather is not a problem. It’s a bit sweaty, but a quick shower and change is all you need. When it rains, I use a raincoat. As long as you cycle sensibly, motorists don’t cause problems with cyclists. They have a lot of experience avoiding motobikes. I have lost weight, and am far fitter. I save money on petrol, parking, and hours of my life in traffic jams. I can leave whenever I like without worrying about traffic. All the cons that are talked about are just not true.
Sure it was a bit scary at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will enjoy the experience.
Talk is cheap & easy for menteri menteri & power that be bcos they don’t cycle. I know Sigrid Kaag meant well but our weather & humidity simply can’t work.
Just plan it out properly with practicality i.e. segregation from traffic or shaded in order to get ppl to use them instead of wasting large sum of money just to paint the side of the road :( pls learn from china if u want a proper bike lane
China roads r big. Here is small. If wanna do it on walkway like Pinang is not feasible. What DBKL did is best compromise.
Cycling lanes on walkways is also damn dangerous for both pedestrians and cyclists. I have a 3 yr old walking along side with me. I get a heart attack every time a cyclist goes by.
I had many near eksidens at SG when walking at walkways. Their cyclist just whizz by w/o sound mere CMs away. Some of that times, I can even feel their shirt sleeves touching my arms.
I have to agree with most comments here. Cycling during peak hours in Malaysia is just plain dangerous. Even motorcyclists are dicing with death everyday. Just stick to public transportation and cabs la.
Cuaca okay je sebenarnya. Biasa orang yang memang suka naik basikal tiada masalah pasal cuaca. Cantik dah ni ada laluan basikal. Kalau dapat LRT dengan bas bagi bawa masuk basikal tentu lebih ramai akan mengayuh. Sigrid Kaag tak bagitau ke kat sana diorang bagi bawak basikal naik tren?
Must built shaded cycle lanes, maybe multi levels. Basement for train. Ground floor for motorcycles and bicycles. Upper floor for joking and walking.
The only way to make it happen is to impose high tariff on cars and Lorries plying City centre during peak hours. The City centre only assessible by mean of Public Transport. Certain roads to be gasetted as Pedestrian walkways and inaccessible to motorise vehicles. Of course the public transportation and the facilities have to be improved first. If follow the average Joesthat gives their comment here another 100 year they will oppose the move and the same time complaining about increase in cost of living, Makan dedak even after change of government and minyak mahal.
It is actually doable for the city dwellers i suppose… but now companies need to support too… shower and changing room facilities at the office building for a start… coz u can get really sweaty under the sun or drenched in the rain.
Seems that cars are using it for parking more than cyclists. Looks like we need more curbside parking lots rather than a cycling lane.
One thing to note. Datuk Maimunah was the Pinang mayor b4 her current job at UN. And Pinang too has implemented cycling lane, yet she said KL bike lane is a “living testament of the steps to become a more sustainable and liveable city”, and not Georgetown. Hmm…
That’s why i’m so confused as to why their comments are shooting her down. They forgot that she is one of them. She was working in Penang.
I think their modus operandi is just to insult anything that has a Malay name or is government-related.
Just an observation.
The blinded hatred of today
In 4 seasons countries like amstersadam..other countries in europe or japan or korea or china
The ambient air is dry and cool. You can walk miles without breaking a sweat. Here if you ride a bicycle in the middle of kuala lumpur you will end up smelly with your sweat and dirty from the smog from cars lorries and buses with euro 2 rating. Our roads are never clean with sands and road dust from vehicle brakes which contain metal particals that will end up in your lung.
Unlike singapore altho share the same weather. Their city is filled with trees. You can walk miles of mile under the tree shades
Hahaha, this a joke right?
Satu soalan sahaja, di mana terdapat parking basikal di KL. Setahu saya tak ada satu pun disediakan. Macamana nak galakan orang guna basikal. Bangunan DBKL sendiri tiada parking basikal.