Motorists in the Klang Valley are estimated to spend at least 44 hours a month in their vehicles being stuck in traffic jams, according to Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) senior lecturer Ismaniza Ismail. Speaking to Harian Metro, she said most employees are forced to spend at least one or two hours in their vehicles during their daily commute to and from work.
“Imagine how much time is wasted every day due to traffic jams. Imagine, every morning, an employee gets up early to go to work and comes home early to avoid traffic jams. Even though [he or she] works the full eight hours daily, there is still an hour or two that is ‘lost’ due to the journey,” he said,” said Ismaniza.
She added that this can affect the cost of productivity. “If the average hourly wage is RM7, multiply that by two hours and 22 working days, the productivity loss is estimated at RM308 a month which is ‘wasted’ on the road,” she explained. The stress arising from being stuck in a traffic jam can also influence the physical, emotional and mental well-being of individuals, which could affect the work environment, she noted.
The issue of worsening traffic congestion has been a hot topic as of late, with many calling on the government to tackle the matter. Ismaniza suggests flexible working hours as an effective initiative worth considering to counter congestion and encourage work productivity.
“Flexible work weeks that provide the option of working days as practiced in many developed countries or working from home are also alternatives that can increase work productivity as there is less risk of getting stuck in congestion,” she said. “However, this cannot be applied to certain occupations such as teachers, who have no option to go out to work and also road users who send their children to school,” she added.
Upgrading the quality of existing public transport services with a more extensive network of routes is another effort that should be implemented, and these services must be efficient in their operation, Ismaniza said.
For now, she said motorists will have to be wise to deal with the issue according to their own capabilities while awaiting action from the government. “If you must travel [by driving] as there are no other options, you’ll have make a sacrifice (time, cost) but I think that is still acceptable.
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That’s why I ride. 30 mins vs 2 hours. I now have more sleep and time for exercise. I may risk dying in a crash but I know I’ve lived a happier, fuller life.
Go try Jakarta. Those was non-subsidized fuel
Jakarta also come with car tax
Floating the Ron95 & Diesel to rm4 market price, then no more jam and subsidy saved. Should not subsidy renewable energy, use subsidy for food instead. Sohai betoi to subsidy diesel to T20+ millionair boss boss who run the company using truck, van , bus lorry with subsidy diesel. (WHY GOVT want to SUBSIDY DIESEL to group T20+ MILLIONAIR level ?????)
Not to burden traveller cost when riding on luxury bus and private luxury van. If removing subsidy for T20 Diesel for truck, van and lorry, then items will be more expensive. That’s why they don’t remove subsidy for diesel. But Ron95 should be float like Ron97, Ron98 and Ron100.
Because Malaysia is rich
No need hybrid or EV
Burn RON95 for A/C
Hybrid more better than EV. Better buy hybrid. Reduce pollution and more cleaner to air
Smart UITM lecturer …Better for govt servants to go flexi working hours will encourage work productivity.
” road users who send their children to school ”
This is the cause of unnecessary jams, we long have an invention called a School Bus when parents of the past send kids to schools in an autonomous way. Parents are regressing the development of kids by pampering this way. What next send kids to college, accompany kids to job interviews, drive them to & from work? Is this a problem of too many cars or a society problem?
Just raise fuel prices to rm30 per litre and the congestion issue will get better
Fully agree. This is the smartest move our BN government should do now. For a better nation,
Good idea! When DAP comes to power and orders that all cars are the privilege of the rich, everyone else would not be burdened by RM30 per litre fuel cost except for those rich who are allowed to use cars in the new era. Oh but I’m sure these scoundrel rich people will see that they pass on such cost to their customers and/or underpaying their staffs even more kau than as today. So either way we are probably more screwed in new DAP era.
i’ve good ICE in my car… i use the traffic jam to enjoy my high fidelity music in the car as the same can’t be achieved at home with children around. that is one way to find zen…
The transport minister claims to have a doctorate in traffic management or is it a fake degree?
Can’t blame him. As puppetry tool
He makes noise for his master
Doctorate in ‘memantaulogy”
Our DAP geniuses no need doctorate or degree has came out with the genius idea of making cars so freaking expensive that only rich members can afford. Instantly no more traffic jam. Damn genius lah these nutjobs.
https://paultan.org/2022/05/31/driving-a-car-in-malaysia-should-be-made-a-luxury-not-a-necessity-says-dap-assemblyman-liew-chin-tong/
I got Doctorate in ForumReply-o-logy.
That is why government should allow flexible working hours and reduce the conventional 8-9 hours/day. Average 44 hours / 20 working days = 2.2hours is ridiculous. And yet many employers still wants us to stay back and complete the task. That’s the reason why more and more countries are pushing for 4 work days. That explains why there is such high demand for vacancy but no one is taking it. Employers ego same like North Korea. You want Malaysia to thrive, change the working culture. No one wants to be a slave.
Chances of me lifting Mjollnir is greater than our gomen will consider the above..LOL
just make mandatory coming to office 2 days per week just for meeting and filing stuffs
As a senior lecturer, I hope that her comment is based on certain sampling method of survey results and not just plucked the figure from air like the politicians. I am interested how did the figure came from. Did she include motorcyclist or only cars? Which areas of traffic condition was she referring to? How abt those go to work by car and motor? How big is the sampling? What level of employment did she refer to? Operators tend to stay near by and manager can stay far away as long as the paid is justified. Did she include travelling time by public transport? Some people may drive to mrt station.
I am spendng at least 66 hrs otr monthly. My wife is also spendind 88 hrs. Both of us stay at shah alam and work at Shah Alam and KL respectively.
To ease traffic congestion:
– Increase fuel prices
– Increase prices for new vehicles
– Impose new lemon law
– Improve road condition
– Expand more lanes for every highways to lessen traffic jam
– Encouraging to take public transport
Just did a calculation on my own. It’s 60 hours a month for me. gosh
i just ride my bike to work coz cannot tahan the jam….ride = 30mins….if i drive 1hr 30mins…huge diff…save 2hrs from being stuck in the jam (2 ways)…
Scrap cars above 15 or 20yrs n u can see instant results.