IT appears that the government and various stakeholders in the transport industry have finally woken up to the problems that have riddled transportation, especially public transportation.

Perhaps, it is not too early to hope that all sides are ready to take steps in favour of greater integration and streamlining of services.

The recent meeting between RapidKL, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd and the Transport Ministry, calls by the Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association and the director of Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (the largest bus operator in Malaysia), and announcements by the ministry and the Cabinet Committee on Public Transport are all heartwarming examples of what can be done when the government and various stakeholders get together and work in the interests of the public.

The call to create a national “Road Transport Agency” appeared a good idea at first.

It would reduce government bureaucracy which currently divides the responsibility for road transport into nine different agencies working under three different ministries (works, transport, entrepreneur and cooperative development), as well as the Prime Minister’s Department (through the Economic Planning Unit).

But there are many questions in my mind.

First, is a new agency really needed? After all, it would be far simpler to just streamline these responsibilities under the Transport Ministry.

Second, will this agency become a “road” agency or a “transport” agency? One can only hope that the government is going to try to reverse the trend that has shifted transport completely in favour of the car.

After all, with the high price of oil, it should be clear that Malaysians cannot rely solely on private transport and must invest in public transport instead of roads and highways.

Third, when reflecting on comments from the director of the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board, I have to ask: why do communal interests have to appear to be part of the government’s thinking at this point in time?

The CVLB is part of the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry in order to protect and service sectional interests but the CVLB has proven to be ineffective because it only focuses on licensing and permits, and pays little attention to enforcement.

Is it too much to ask that a government agency in the transport sector be put in place in order to serve the interests of the transport sector, rather than narrow sectional interests?

Finally, we must stop to consider that transportation is fundamentally a local and regional service.

Will a centralised government agency based in Putrajaya really be able to plan in the best interests of the local areas and the economic regions of the country?

It is only through open dialogue in Parliament that we will be able to build realistic and effective transportation networks that will work for all Malaysians.

Source: NST – May 30, 2008