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Time To Sort Out Public Transport PDF Print
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Friday, 13 June 2008 09:06

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The government must first enhance the public transport system in terms of quality and quantity before it encourages the people to take public transport.

by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily

After the government's announcement of the adjustment for fuel prices, the people have been trying hard to save the cost of living to cope with inflation. Riding public transport is one of the ways to reduce expenses. One of the four measures proposed by the government to reduce the people's burden is to increase the amount of public transport, hoping that the people could ride public transport and reduce driving. This could save energy as well as money.

The public transport industry had expected that more people would take buses and rapit transit. However, the nation's public transport services are still lagging behind the pace of social development. But the current level of the public transport services is not sufficient to meet the needs and make more people to take public transport unless the system could achieve the standard of Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

While the government is calling upon the people to fight the hard time of high oil prices, they must go out to experience the people's lives instead of sitting in an air-conditioned room to discuss on counter-policies. Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad has recently experienced a ride on public transport and found various defects with the public transport system, included lack of convergence and expensive parking fees. Such problems as well occur in the public transport system of other major cities like Johor Bahru and Penang.

"Similarly, the frequency of rapid transit should be increased to meet the possible increase of rapit transit ridership."

The surge of fuel prices might force the people to save money like riding public transport instead of driving but without the improvement of the public transport system, the people would have to rely on private cars.

When the government raised the fuel prices by 30 sen a litre in the past, it promised to use the RM4 billion fuel subsidy it saved by the price hikes to upgrade the nation's public transport system. But so far, no improvement could be seen. And now, the fuel prices surged again by 78 sen, it is time for the government to fulfill its commitment.

The government must first enhance the public transport system in terms of quality and quantity before it encourages the people to take public transport. Firstly, the number of buses must be increased to shorten the waiting time, especially during peak hours. This could effectively relieve the crowded situation. Similarly, the frequency of rapid transit should be increased to meet the possible increase of rapit transit ridership.

Secondly, the routes of buses must be added or extended. Many flaws could be found in the current bus routes in several major cities of the country. More new routes or extensions should be added and the service area should be extended in order to meet additional demands. In addition, the government must first ensure there are public transport services available before approving housing projects. The order should not be reversed.

As for the rapid transit system, the existing five routes are certainly not sufficient in meeting the demand. It is now the time to improve its convergence, convenience, equipment and capacity. During the planning of new routes, densely populated areas should be prioritised. As for the Penang monorail project, there might be changes due to political factors. Meanwhile, the project to have rapid transit from Johor Bahru to Singapore is yet to be finalised. In the high fuel prices era, the rapid transit system projects should not be further delayed.

Moreover, the public transport managing units should be integrated. Currently, the public transport system is managed by 13 state governments. Different departments are responsible for licensing, License revokation, management and law enforcement of the public transport, complicating its planning process and management structure. To effectively straighten out the public transport system, the government must form an official integrated management body. The Public Transport Committee in the Cabinet has agreed to set up an integrated management unit, but so far, the authority limits of the unit is yet to be finalised. The Ministry of Transport is the best unit to make an overall plan for this. Through coordination, hopefully, a clear decision could be seen very soon.

Comments (37)Add Comment
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written by Ken Liew, June 13, 2008 09:17:18
The minisir of transport are just a puppet. He cant do anything without the TOUKEE's order.

So, one petrol hike can cost so many trouble..... Malaysia are just a weak nation...... to prove even weaker, Malaysia has the most EXPENSIVE petrol price for a petrol exporting country. Malaysia Boleh!

Where did all the money go?? you know ! I know !, everyone know! But only those in power (U Must Not Object) ignoring this fact. YOU THINK THE RAKYAT ARE STUPID???
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written by Tlau, June 13, 2008 09:17:29
We don't have to look far to emulate the public transport system. The public transport system in Singapore is superlative A1. Having been working there for past 15 years, no place in Singapore is not unreachable by bus, taxi or MRT.
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written by binarytan, June 13, 2008 09:18:16
We have 1000 buses lying around = wasting tax payers' money!!!! Could not we salvage this as I heard gomen stupidly wants to buy another 100 more!!!

Malaysia Public transport is a nightmare as controlled by a group of UMNO goons. How to progress our country under the IDIOT PM and the gang? Their main interest is the pocket first, the citizen is the last to consider.

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written by cubi76, June 13, 2008 09:30:46
Two words. CHANGE GOVERNMENT!

After so many years, the BN is proven that they are the hopeless bunch.

A change for good.
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written by Bigjoe99, June 13, 2008 09:39:24
Improving Public transport? How many times have we heard this? Its not simple matter and a leadership that does not know how to plan and execute long term is not goig to be able to do it.

Increasing buses? The roads don't even let that happen. Increasing LRTs? You think its cheap to build rails especially when all the flat land has been crookedly sold to private hands for decades? Hah!

4 YEARS FROM NOW WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN ELECTION AND PREDICTABLY THE GOVT IS WILL DENY IT HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING RATHER THAN BASICALLY NOT MUCH GOOD ENOUGH FOR TOUGH PROBLEMS IN GENERAL...
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written by joejoe, June 13, 2008 09:40:18
Public transport now monopolised by SCOMI. No wonder Old Man TDM whacking so hard also.
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written by DatoJohn, June 13, 2008 09:40:38
Setuju for Change of Goverment!
But When?
Please Hurry laa, cannot tahan 2.70
Fill up 10 tak naik laaaa
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written by grant, June 13, 2008 09:44:57
the problem with the low IQ, low EQ, low mentality of the government is such that they will not be able to comprehend even a simplest of an idea let alone say execute them flawlessly..

just look at the housing estate for instance.. houses are build but nothing is done to the drainage and when a heavy rain comes, the whole estate is flooded..

similarly in KL, whatever development that is undertaken sure to have flaws here and there, and the most basic one is the Drainage-Irrigation again. How do u expect millions of gallons of water to flow when the drain or the river can only hold up to hundreds of gallons?

it is such a simple mathematic.... comprende senor???
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written by Raizzen, June 13, 2008 09:46:02
Show the rakyat that ur with us in this pressing time. Meh kita naik train sama-sama pegi kerja. How ?

But then again, I'll still vote you out, hands down, Shahrir.
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written by tino_chan1988, June 13, 2008 09:50:31
Give another RM100 million for improvement project, 80% goes into some Datuk's pocket, another 20% for the rest of his cronies.

Allocate another RM100 million again, the result will be no different.

Probably only in KL is where we find that we need to get out of a train station to cross the road to catch another train to our destination. Absolutely absurb and waste of taxpayers' money to have invested in such projects in the very first place.
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written by binarytan, June 13, 2008 09:50:50
What public transport, it is a joke system

All Malaysian, just watch out of VIETNAM!!!

All investers are going over there and dump Malaysia, why? becos we have a dump, useless, incapable, sleephead, crony, nepo PM.

A disaster of the century for Malaysia even it only hits once by this idiot PM.

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written by Al Ambia, June 13, 2008 09:50:56
They say they want to implement changes but with self interest at heart.Changes must be implement with rakyat in the heart not your pocket.You are being well paid by the government already.So please dont waste the rakyat money
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written by tokioRain, June 13, 2008 09:55:43
public transport: taman jaya lrt station, 0730am any working day. at least 100 people waiting for city-bound train. everytime it arrives, its jam packed worse than a can of kings cup sardines. gropers paradise. best it can take is 2 heads per entry door, so you wait 40mins as you inch your way to your turn. the best way to pass the time is to think of different ways to wring the bloody neck of one sotong flip-flop fella who flies everywhere in a private jet and thinks australia is just a train hop from klcc to ampang park. niamah.
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written by james5501, June 13, 2008 10:05:26
Please, please do not 'improve' public transport. The 'improve' means another INFLATED public expenses. To cover cost of the 'improvements' not only will fuel price be further increase but so will taxes, tolls and many other daily necessities. I am up to my neck trying to make ends meet. If I need to walk, I will.
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written by indianputra, June 13, 2008 10:06:07
Received this through Email. Sounds good..
-------------------------------------------------------

LET'S JUST DO IT!! !

THIS IS NOT A 'DON'T BUY' PETROL FOR ONE DAY NOTE, BUT LET'S TAKE STEPS WE CAN TO GET PETROL BACK DOWN TO RM1.92 PER Liter....

If you are tired of the gas prices going up AND they will continue to rise this winter, take time to read this, PLEASE. It is worth your consideration. Join the resistance!!!!

We have hit RM 2.70 a liter and it might go higher!! Want petrol prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action.

The oil companies just laughed at last year's action because they knew we would not continue to 'hurt' ourselves by refusing to buy petrol. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them. BUT whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can really work.

We need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace...not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action.

The only way we are going to see the price of petrol come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their petrol! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves.

How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can’t just stop buying petrol. But we CAN have an impact on petrol prices if we all act together to force a price war.

Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON’T purchase ANY petrol from PETRONAS the biggest price-up driver company. If they are not selling any petrol, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of PETRONAS petrol buyers. It's SO simple! Now, don't wimp out on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how to reach millions and even BILLIONS of people!!

I am sending this note to 20 people. If each of you sends it on to at least twenty more that's (20 x 20 = 400)... And those 400 send it to at least twenty more (400 x 20 = 8000 ... and so on, by the time the message reaches the fifth group of people, we will have reached over SIXTY FOUR MILLION consumers!!!!!

20x20 = 400
400x20 = 8,000
8,000x20 = 160,000
160,000x20 = 3,200,000
3,200,000x20 = 64,000,000
64,000,000x20 = 12,800,000,000

That's 12.80 Billion people folks, who will have been contacted!!!!!

Acting together we can make a difference...

If this message makes sense to you, then please pass it on.

Now that’s people power.

LET'S JUST DO IT!! !

More power to you friend.
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written by MarchOn, June 13, 2008 10:06:47
The solution is not adding more and more buses.... the solution is getting committed people to work and run those company. Those who have a passion in transportation. Driver lack the basic commitment to drive and start their trip on schedule. E.g. Go to Alam Damai, Cheras, see the number of RapidKL buses park there and the drivers in the mamak stall nearby sipping teh tarik... while the rakyat are waiting and hoping the bus will come ASAP, those who need to get to the nearest government clinic with their babies standind there, while their babies are screaming becuase of heat.

No point in getting more and more buses if the drivers are not going to drive them. smilies/angry.gif smilies/angry.gif smilies/angry.gif
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written by Sean E, June 13, 2008 10:09:41
Dear tokioRain,

You and your fellow travellers have to sufferred in silence every working day because Bodohland didn't hire capable people to head the 'Rapid KL'. Rapid in name only.

How many new trains or coaches have they added to the system. Notice the platform can accomodate train of 6 six car length but we only have 2 car length trains????

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written by MarchOn, June 13, 2008 10:18:54
Dear Indianputra,

Your idea above will NOT work, whoever sent you that email does NOT know how the Oil/Gas (OGC) company functions.

In a OGC, there is mainly 2 divisions, Upstream and Downstream.

Upstream = Where the Dig and pump of the Oil/Gas from the ground.
Downstream = All those petrol station

The OGC makes Billion is their Upstream Business (Because they pump out the oil and sell to another co. raw and sometimes refine, hence no overhead such as TVC, PR, Petrol Station, Bright Lights form the PEtrol station and etc) BUT Downstream makes peanuts. Simple

Now, if you don't pump and oil in Petronas, they will be happier coz can close down the downstream and focus more on upstream - which makes the Billions. Petronas will just sell the oil to other OGC and makes more $$$$.

FYI: I don't pump Petronas, no pickup.

If we follow your idea
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written by Richard Lo, June 13, 2008 10:19:35
"Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad has recently experienced a ride on public transport and found various defects with the public transport system, included lack of convergence and expensive parking fees."
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Oh spare me the publicity on the experience of the minister taking public transport. According to news report yesterday, he took the ERL. ERL is not a true public transport for the mass. ERL is a dedicated line to KLIA.

Mr. Minister, got and take the PUTRA or LRT everyday for one month then you can be considered qualified to talk about your experience in true public transport.

The problem with public transportation in Malaysia is it is anything but public. Never in the design, building and operation of public transportation in Malaysia took into consideration of public interest in mind. Exchange stations that do not integrate, stations built in locations which are severely under-utilised e.g. Abdullah Hukum station, and stations located in anywhere but dense populated residential areas.

What we need is a practical and holistic public transportation system which truly serves the publics' interest NOT THE POCKET OF POLITICIANS AND THEIR CRONIES!
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written by sampalee, June 13, 2008 10:21:41
Not just Transport,the present bunch of umno leaders cannot do anything right.Think real hard to come up with one.
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written by Sean E, June 13, 2008 10:24:36
Dear tino_chan1988, You are absolutely correct on the interchange bit.

Even Bangkok has a much better linkage between their Skytrain and Underground.

Why. Beacuse in Bodohland we have three group of UMNO cronies who were given the jobs of indroducing mass rapid transport to KL. They do their plans independent of eack other and that is the result.

Try changing train to monorail (Bukit Nanas station) from LRT (Dang Wangi station). All Bodohland did was to erect some shelter walkways many years after the two system was running. You have to walk about 5-10 minutes to reach the other station.

The worst one is changing from Kelana Jaya (Masjid Jamik station) line to Ampang line. Need I say more.
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written by teo siew chin, June 13, 2008 10:34:53
aiya, bring back the pink mini-buses lah smilies/wink.gif
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written by indianputra, June 13, 2008 10:44:57
written by MarchOn, June 13, 2008 | 10:18:54

Dear Indianputra,

Your idea above will NOT work, whoever sent you that email does NOT know how the Oil/Gas (OGC) company functions.
======================================================= ============

MarchOn, may be you are right. However Petronas Dagangan profit for year ending, March 2008 is reported at 907 Milion Ringgit. That must be something, they will have to consider if rakyat boycott their service stations.
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written by Raja Gasper, June 13, 2008 10:54:56
3 is better than 2,and the words shoudbe CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT by the people for
the people with the peoples mandate.
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written by MarchOn, June 13, 2008 11:30:41
Indianputra,

Did you read CNN news, that exxon is selling it's Gas station (Downstream business) http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US...ndex.html.

If Petronas takes the amount of oil it sell via its station to other OGC, then it could make much more. It's here only for it's branding purposes.

Don't waste time/effort. The best way to hurt a OGC is to stop using their product altogher, OR at least use lesser.
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written by queequeg, June 13, 2008 11:34:53
Let's face the fact. BN cannot improve public transport no matter how hard they try. Why? When you have advisors who are eyeing only money and how to make lots of it by fleecing the govt, the only recommendation they will give out is piecemeal and amateurish. Look at our neighbour, Singapore. How did they succeed? They have many professionals and advisors from the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport among others to help them in formulating policies wrt public transport. They emphasize on connectivity & the system e.g. how to get people from where they are to where they want to be in the shortest possible time, with minimum hassle and reasonable fare. Here in Malaysia the question is how to make as much money as possible in the shortest possible time while simultaneously making the rakyat suffer for letting the opposition win big in the last election.
A reliable, efficient & punctual public transport system in Malaysia may seem light years away if we still have BN led federal govt. It's time to change.
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written by xKazman, June 13, 2008 12:01:57
BULL SHIT ! BULL SHIT! BULL SHIT! AND AGAIN BULL SHIT !

Are we Malaysian's all Sand Monkeys, good enough to be fooled, many of you may not remember, the earlier fuel price hike somewhere around 2004 / 2005 when Pak Lah decided to increase the petrol price to RM 1.92, his made a clear promise that the savings of RM 4 billion per year could be forked out to improve public transport & infrastructure.

Where did the money go, did we remember, did the government assigned any special committee to audit out transportation system, PAK LAH the Ripper, ripped us off RM 4 billion with a vow to improve public transportation system back.

Excuse me PAK LAH, I didnt see any improvement on our public transportation system then, now you are talking about improving public transportation system, does this mean again you are going to RIP our hard earned sweat money of RM 16 billion, this time to whose pocket its going is it:, the Great Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan, KJ, Scomi, Patric Lim, BK Tan which one of you cronies.

The RM 4 billion earlier already went to you son's pocket, where you already diverted funds to RAPID KL to buy china made busses which aint worth to the value of the Busses, and your son Kamaluddin Abdullah, had the exclusivity to supply busses to RAPID KL.

NOW RM 16 billion, dear Malaysians..... Open your eyes..... This is and elusive robbery.

Mr. Prime minister, I am a frequent user of our nations public transportation system, I didn’t see any upgrades in any of our existing LRT Stations to ease the public, I didn’t see any upgrades on our existing trains, I didn’t see off any upgrades in any of our bus stations. Then why off all the reasons, you now:, again putting same lame reason, improving our public transportation system.
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written by Xerxes, June 13, 2008 12:17:12
RapidKL is not the only bus company having a massive bus graveyard. Come visit JB and at the entrance to Taman Perling and the gateway to the much touted IDR region of Nusajaya etc. etc see the huge bus graveyard that is growing by the day.

Meanwhile, commuters' luck in trying to catch a bus in Perling is almost equal to the odds of striking a 4D on a weekend draw. One can only sit and sigh at the large numbers of buses left lying to rot while you wait hours for a bus to show up. And because the buses are so infrequent, residents have practically given up waiting for buses as a result of which the bus stops are practically deserted most of the time. This makes it extremely dangerous for passengers, especially females, to wait a long time for the elusive buses at isolated bus stops given Perling's notoriously high crime rates. And it does not add to the comfort of waiting when most of the only other people waiting seems to be scruffy looking foreigners with their pungent smelling cigarettes.

Shahrir, you are from Johor. To be fair to JB, come take a look at our bus graveyard and also try to take a bus in Perling.
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written by MsiaCTzen, June 13, 2008 12:21:53
Foh Hup, Len Sen, Sri Jaya and all others private company can provide better services.

Barisan and Umno try to monopolise but got no business brain.

BN and Umno cannot solve problem,Only know how to Masterbate.

Go fly kite BN and Umno.

Nothing works in BN and Umno

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written by expat70, June 13, 2008 13:34:57
Malaysian Public Transport :

Before we start talking about improvements to the very poor condition of our public transport system in Malaysia, we must take a pause to look at the long term big picture. Let us consider these :

First, public transport should be left to individual state or municipal governments. This will put the responsibilities squarely on the shoulders the local administrations. Let the local governments take ownership of the problems and solutions.

Second, each local government should be responsible to draw up their own long term Public Transportation Infra-structure Master Control Plan and policies. The Master Control Plan should be thorough and comprehensive. It should be conducted by independent consultants who are experts in this field, regardless of locals or foreigners. Recommendations of the consultants should be made public as a matter of transparency and of public interest. Independent bodies should be set up by them to monitor and implement the Master Control Plan with periodic reviews.

Thirdly, instead of the current practise of government control, which means only certain groups of people can obtain operating licenses, let market forces dictate the systems and services that we can afford. Free up the licensing laws to encourage more competitions as it is a good way to propagate efficiencies. This applies to taxi, bus or other haulage licenses.

There is no shame or loss of pride by learning from other developed countries or cities, such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Paris, New York etc etc.

Finally, to enable a good and efficient public transportation (if not and international class) system to take root and flourish in Malaysia, we really need the WILL of the government and the co-operation of the private sector. We need people with the brains, honesty and integrity to implement and maintain such a system for the good of the public.


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written by whash, June 13, 2008 13:51:49
"When the government raised the fuel prices by 30 sen a litre in the past, it promised to use the RM4 billion fuel subsidy it saved by the price hikes to upgrade the nation's public transport system. But so far, no improvement could be seen. And now, the fuel prices surged again by 78 sen, it is time for the government to fulfill its commitment."
They are always good in giving empty promised. For those voted for BN, congratulations! You guys have made everybody's life much miserable...

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written by Thamipoh, June 13, 2008 15:11:27
As I was writing to give me 2 cents worth opinion on improving the public transport system, a better idea hit me. Yes you guess correctly -- CHANGE THE STUPID GOMENT -- Any system, as excelent as can be, when come under the control of a corrupted BN goment will be contaminated, and wasted away later. I see no point giving ideas. Just wasting my time and yours.
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written by crazygweilo, June 13, 2008 16:43:49
My problem with the public transport system is beyond incoherent promises to review and improve it, its still not getting better, and never will as long as politicians and policy implementation is conducted with only the short term in mind. This is why public transport implementation in many developing nations is poor. It takes 4 years and more from planning to construction to operation and after that it needs to be maintained.

Malaysia is starting "late" in the game. KTM Kommuter only came on stream in 1995, when the Klang Valley had a 3 Million population. Then Star LRT in 1998, followed finally by Putra LRT in 1999, so there was a vast amount invested in a short period. This would never have happened without a dictator ramming it through thick and fast, and that was Mahathir.

These companies needed to be bailed out, because of operational losses, loans and refinancing. I believed the problem is that the state wants for doctrinaire reasons to operate these as private sector concerns. This was because when I first came to Malaysia as a tourist in 2001-2002, I was unaware of how deep the problems of graft, cronyism and corruption were in the Malaysian economic and political system. I have'nt time to engage in the blame game. That helps noone, but because of the structure of the economy and its links with politicians, it looks to me like they are inextricably linked.

My realisation of how crazy things were/are in Bolehland came with Rawang to Ipoh being electrified, and no trains being ordered for it. When I asked the KTM staff on this in the restaurant car on the Ekspres Rakyat, they just sucked on their cigarettes, drank Teh Tarik and laughed cynically. The same cynical laugh I heard from rail staff in Ireland or England during their bad times in the 1980's-1990's. It usually means whenever, and probably never.

Now.....one more thing. I won't make any friends here, but I think Malaysia needs to look beyond their politicians and actually look in their petrol tanks. Thats where the money WAS, and its gone in a fog of dinosaur satay smoke.

Its that damned resource curse again "Hey we got oil wat, it should be cheap"

Which lead to Nigeria being ****ed up, which lead to being Saudi Arabia being a despotic dictatorship, which lead to all sorts of trouble, including Prince Jeffri of Brunei blowing a few Billion on Hookers, Hotels, Booze and Coke. Bad and all as UMNO are, they are'nt THAT bad, but they could be a lot better.

Look. The oil was subsidised, you were getting a discount anyway. The savings from the last increase were supposed to go to public transport, but were swallowed up in our petrol tanks. In other words, the cash is not there. The increase should have been done gradually, but Badawi was scared of the unpopularity that resulted from the previous one in 2006, whereas an increase of 10 sen per month until market level was reached was far more feasible.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. It is insane to subsidise petrol anywhere, and Malaysia hardly produces that much on a worldwide scale. Its no Venezuela, nor a Mexico, or Saudi Arabia. It produces a fraction of their amounts and Malaysian reserves are diminishing. There is (allegedly) another 100 years of reserves off Kelantan, but that means getting Nik Aziz and PAS to play ball, and thats the apparent reason why Najib was campaigning so hard up there. Silly man, he campaigned so hard there that they took their eyes off what they had taken for granted for so long.

Good governance does not mean giving what the Rakyat wants all the time. Cheap oil is not good. But we wanted it cheap for a long time. When the mother takes away the soother, we will cry.

Good things are not cheap. People want cheap food, but are unwilling to see workers at the Mamak stalls paid decent wages. People want cheap maids from Indonesia. People want cheap taxis. But you won't get quality until its either well paid and renumerated, decently subsidised, but that needs tax revenues, and rates at First world levels, not third world levels. We can compare all we like with Melbourne, Sydney and London, but the fact is, thats not going to happen until people in Malaysia have labour rights, renumeration, and productivity levels approaching the levels of these places we do fancy comparisons with. There is a need to upgrade public transport and expand it. Perhaps this will be the catalyst. But I doubt it. Come 2012, we will have all forgotten and life will be back to normal, and anyone with the brains or relatives abroad....their last experience of Malaysian Public transport will be taking the ERL to KLIA.
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written by mgeo, June 13, 2008 21:04:45
Our chauffer-driven public servants dare to give us such impractical advice. On the other hand, most of us have been short-sighted; to us, democracy was also a car-owning democracy.

Some of the obstacles to cheap bus transport: multiple regulatory agencies, sudden changes of rules, inadequate subsidised fuel until now, toll like other
inefficient transport, no rise/subsidy in fares, insufficient enforcement, failure to build bus stops, pipes as seats at bus-stands, lack of integration with LRTs, over-ambitious attempts to consolidate bus companies.
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written by lynn, June 13, 2008 21:33:12
"headlined: time to sort out public transport"

Why do we have to tell these gov't or its ministers "it's time they do their job?"

Every female who ever rode on a bus in the Klang valley would have experienced some guy's erected dick pressed against her thigh or buttocks in buses packed like canned sardines. That was in the 80s - today, more than 20 years later, our public transport is still packed the same way. Malaysia will never improve in any way that matters to us unless we have a change of government & new ministers who are sincere in wanting to serve the people. Our costs of living keep going up but our standards of living go south.

This umno-led bn govt has been given decades & trillions in funds had passed through its hands & yet something as basic as an efficient public transportation they cannot provide.

BTW, when we say public transport provided by government, it means free transportation. So don't be conned or misled - with all the trillions in oil & gas money, not only rides on public trains, buses, trams, etc. be free-of charge for all Malaysians, these vehicles shld be air-conditioned and cleaned out frequently.

In Hong Kong, where I used to ride mini buses which were cheap, in summer they were air-con & super clean. In cold months, the buses are heated. No standing room in mini buses. All must be seated. You will be amazed how disciplined the bus drivers are. No means NO to anyone who pleaded a ride in squatting position.

Taxis there are so clean, and no smelly body odor because drivers cleaned out the interiors twice a day. Compare them with our proton wira or proton waja taxis & experience the filthy dirty shitty smells inside any of the taxis you hail by the roadside. This is Malaysia, a third world country, which built the twin towers and pretended to be first world.

About timing - buses & the MTR in Hong Kong are like clockwork. They roll in on time, maybe off by a minute or two at worst, but you can count on them. Of course, HK is perceived to be low in corruption, and there are no titled humans like datuks, dato sris, tan sris or tuns that you have to treat like they are xtra special humans who did so much for mankind. Everyone is just plain mister, miss or madam. Of course, the best thing is all profits from gaming activities (unlike bodohland where gaming licences are given to cronies) in Hong Kong runs and managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club which funds are used to built, managed public schools, hospitals, provide welfare funds for the poor & aged. And mind you, the quality of doctors and nurses in HK govt hospitals are top standards, not the kind we find in bolehland's gov't hospitals where some of them had "suspect credentials".

If we have a new gov't, all gaming activities shld be managed & run like how we use to have Welfare Lottery - yup, every sen of all profits go to help the needy such as old folks, orphans, handicapped, even the mentally retarded, single women with children, yes, the mad, the stupid and the ignored groups in our society.



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written by Noor Aza, June 13, 2008 22:53:49
Good article, but I'm disappointed that no mention is made on the issues of violence against women within the public transportation system; especially with regards to prevalent sexual harassment. Many women have thus regard traveling especially during peak hours within the system, not just in buses and trains but also in taxis, as a Twilight Zone nightmare. Many such unacceptable and disgusting behaviour, which I've personally witnessed and even experienced myself twice including making police reports, seemed to be normalized by many Malaysian women especially the younger generation since they feel disempowered in an increasingly sexist and violent society in Malaysia. Further, many don't even realize what sexual harassment and assault meant even that even include staring and leering at women and girls. Hence we're having a campaign soon, to highlight this fundamental issue that will include demand for special buses and trains for ladies and girls only, particularly during peak hours, such as being practised in Mexico and Japan and to criminalize such offenders. Any women/girls interested to help voluntarily within their spare-time, please contact me, Nora at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (Women for Justice Support Group Project)
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written by TeohSC, June 15, 2008 22:24:04
The Government is like a person who is shitting and is looking for a toilet. Every Malaysian knows that the public transport is a mess, and has not changed one bit since the early 1960's. Remember that during the last fuel hike, the Government promised to do a lot of things to improve the public transport system, and yet thing remains the same. It takes time to improve the system and, in the meantime oil price may start to come down again, and the idea of improving it will then be forgotten.
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