The recent Federal Territories Ministry retreat to find ways to improve the public transport system reflects the lack of integrated planning that is affecting public transport in the Klang Valley and in Malaysia as a whole.

The issue is not with the transport operators, rather, it is with the government and the way it organises public transportation.

The transportation problems of the Klang Valley stretch beyond the borders of Kuala Lumpur. But how can the retreat come up with an integrated transport plan for the Klang Valley when stakeholders from its other parts are not included?

Nine different government agencies are responsible for planning and regulating public transportation. And as shown at the recent briefing on the Selangor 2020 Plan and Subang Jaya Draft Plan, the Federal Government and state governments have very different ideas on public transportation, and they are not communicating properly with each other.

If the government wants to demonstrate a commitment to public transportation, then it must create a National Public Transportation Department. It would report directly to the Cabinet Committee on Public Transportation. The goal of the department would be to implement the National Public Transportation Strategy.

The National Public Transportation Department would then create Local Public Transportation Authorities, which would bring together stakeholders from different areas such as State Assemblymen, Members of Parliament, Transport Operators, and local residents.

The Local Authorities would plan and improve public transportation in a strategic way, focusing on current and future needs. They would look at integrating public transportation on a regional and local level, beyond municipal borders.

The existing system focuses on isolation. Buses are isolated from trains, governments and stakeholders are isolated from each other. With isolation comes confusion and nothing can be done. Therefore, the existing system has to go.

Instead of individual bus companies with individual drivers, operating in isolation, there would be one regional authority that would make plans for routes, set fares, and expand and improve service.

The public transportation network should be as complete as the expressway network. This does not mean that the government should extend a few LRT lines. What is meant is that the government needs to fill in the missing gaps in the existing network. Currently the government is focusing on filling in the missing links in the expressway network. What about the missing links in the public transportation network?

Kuala Lumpur needs at least three more rapid transit lines, as well as expanded service on the existing LRT and KTM lines. The government should focus on building these rapid transit lines in urban areas first, and then extend them out to the suburbs as needed. Until then, the suburbs should be serviced by a system of Bus Rapid Transit and express buses using exclusive bus lanes. It is time that we stop being afraid of bus lanes.

The government has to focus on increasing mobility. Instead of one line, it must build twenty. The government knows that it does not have the money to build 20 LRT lines. That is why we must be willing to consider the possibility of other, less costly forms of rapid transit like Bus Rapid Transit and Rapid Trams.

Lastly, the government must realise that the people need to be included in any planning of public transportation and integrated networks from the start.

Moaz Yusuf Ahmad
Subang Jaya

Source: The Sun – January 17, 2008