The Malaysian government does not plan to impose a congestion charge on private vehicles in Kuala Lumpur for the time being, reported Bernama.
The cabinet committee on road safety and congestion had previously discussed the matter in depth, and had noted the transport ministry’s views to first focus upon improving the quality of public transport, said transport minister Anthony Loke.
“The ministry of transport (MoT) does not and has not yet planned to implement a congestion charge on private vehicles at this time,” Loke said during a question and answer session in Dewan Negara today.
A study covering the implementation mechanism, projected reduction in traffic volume and increased use of public transport was currently being conducted by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the Malaysian Green Technology And Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), Loke said.
Currently, the transport ministry is also implementing the Klang Valley Public Transport Strategic Plan Study which also includes an origin-destination study, and the study is hoped to be used as a benchmark to improve the quality of public transport in the capital, as well as in other states, the transport minister added.
“This is because developed countries only implement congestion charges after having a good and efficient public transport system,” he said.
Last month, the transport minister said that it is not feasible to implement congestion charges in Kuala Lumpur as public transport needs to be improved first.
Minister in the prime minister’s department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that in addition to Kuala Lumpur, George Town in Penang and Johor Bahru are being considered for the rollout of congestion charges, and said that it could reduce congestion in Kuala Lumpur by 20%.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
but your boss everything also want to charge to make money for the government. he will say the maha kaya can afford to pay.
The cities that implemented congestion charge needed significant time — often several decades — to develop a comprehensive and efficient public transport system before the introduction of congestion charges. Simply implementing a congestion charge without these prior investments could lead to public pushback and ineffective results, as the alternative transport options would not be sufficiently attractive or practical for most commuters.
What investment has the current government done so far, other than cancelling the previous government’s projects?
Lets talk about free toll 1st
Should start this ASAP
For those who keep barking our Malaysia public transport not good please debate on my statement below.
It is extremely hard to encourage people especially in Klang Valley to take public transport(PT) because many of us are staying at “landed” property. Why landed property cant have good PT? Those countries have good PT like Japan, Korea and SG, the train stations were built in high density population with lots of high rise buildings. More pepople use PT then more stations being built and more buses deployed.
In Malaysia case we are very much different. Example Parklane OUG, the 30 acres high rise consist of over 4000 units. If each unit with 2 person then total will be 8000 people in 30 acres. If 30 acres we put in double storey houses with 1 house of 4 person, 30 acres only consists less than 600 houses or 2400 people. The density of landed houses are very low. Building a train station in high rise building within 100 acres it can serve for 25,000 people while in landed house the similar land size the station only service about 7,000 people. If serving a 25,000 people in landed houses the total area will be extended to 350 acres. Are you able to WALK at this distance to the train station if staying at landed houses? It is not walkable to most.
To summarise above the population density is not high enough in most resident areas of KV. It is very hard to build the train station to cover all areas unless we willing to stay in high density high rise buildings just like Korea, Japan and SG. In Malaysia very few concentrate high rise areas, most of the case the developer build 1 condo here then 1-2km away build another. Even the high rise buildings are loose and distance.
Please do not put the blame merely to ministry of transport, it is more on housing development issue from the past.
To encourage people to take public transports like train in klang valley government should built multi storey carparks to cater for more cars on the train stations. No choice we hardly ask the public take buses to nearest train station and most of them also reluctant to do so.
Some stations not enough space of carpark then can take concept like Putrajaya park n ride. Put the multi storey carpark within 5km and shuttle bus every 10 min in peak hours sending passengers to nearest train station.
Lol, Malaysians are too rich, tolls and petrol price to be raise 200%. This way will ease the congestion swiftly.