Bad policies hinder better public transportation
Athi VeerangganPublished: May 29, 2008 9:23 AM | Updated: May 30, 2008 2:59 AM
A DAP MP today criticised the federal government of favouring entrepreneurs and forsaking public interests in its public transportation policy-making.
A DAP MP today criticised the federal government of favouring entrepreneurs and forsaking public interests in its public transportation policy-making.
Liew Chin Tong, MP for Bukit Bendera, said the country would fail to improve and provide top class public transport services to Malaysians while government policies were plagued by chronic interests, favouring only a few.
He welcomed the formation of the federal-level one-stop Public Transport Commission (PTC) to better regulate the system, however insisted in tandem they have to dismantle and revamp policy directions and approach it comprehensively.
The holistic approach must deliver the basic principles of public transport systems; reliability, efficiency and affordability.
"So long as the policy is being influenced by chronic interests of certain quarters, the public transport policy primary objectives can never be achieved," Liew reminded the proponents of the PTC.
An example of poor policy-making, he stated, was that the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry, and not the Transport Ministry, which has been issuing public transport operating licenses.
The Cabinet Committee on Public Transport chaired by DPM Najib Abdul Razak has recently proposed for the setting up of the PTC comprising 13 agencies from various ministries.
The agencies include Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), which is under the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry, the traffic police, the Road Transport Department, the Road Safety Department, Puspakom and the Transport Ministry's Malaysian Institute of Road Safety.
The PTC will be the one-stop authority to deal with public transport matters such as issuance of licences, conducting vehicle inspection and supervision, enforcement and control.
Liew further commented that the government should look into alternative transportation modes to improve public transport service, not just depending on bus, taxis and hired cars.
He said it was pointless to have too many companies operating buses on the road, while the chronic policy was being maintained, defeating the fundamental purpose of a transport policy.
Penang is a state with long-standing problems of failing public transportation systems and is a major concern for its electorate.
Only 16 percent use public transportation
He cited Singapore's policy of engaging only two bus consortiums to provide an efficient, affordable and reliable service throughout the island state as a fine example on a government priority to achieve public transportation goals.
At present a mere 16 percent of an estimated 26 million Malaysians use public transport services throughout the country.
Liew advocated mass use of public transport especially buses and was critical of the cessation of subsidy for RapidKL.
The withdrawal of subsidy, Liew quipped, was a clear example of government policy favouring entrepreneurs than commuters.
Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association has already proposed that bus fares would go up by 100 percent in wake of escalating fuel and operation costs.
Liew Chin Tong, MP for Bukit Bendera, said the country would fail to improve and provide top class public transport services to Malaysians while government policies were plagued by chronic interests, favouring only a few.He welcomed the formation of the federal-level one-stop Public Transport Commission (PTC) to better regulate the system, however insisted in tandem they have to dismantle and revamp policy directions and approach it comprehensively.
The holistic approach must deliver the basic principles of public transport systems; reliability, efficiency and affordability.
"So long as the policy is being influenced by chronic interests of certain quarters, the public transport policy primary objectives can never be achieved," Liew reminded the proponents of the PTC.
An example of poor policy-making, he stated, was that the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry, and not the Transport Ministry, which has been issuing public transport operating licenses.
The Cabinet Committee on Public Transport chaired by DPM Najib Abdul Razak has recently proposed for the setting up of the PTC comprising 13 agencies from various ministries.The agencies include Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), which is under the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry, the traffic police, the Road Transport Department, the Road Safety Department, Puspakom and the Transport Ministry's Malaysian Institute of Road Safety.
The PTC will be the one-stop authority to deal with public transport matters such as issuance of licences, conducting vehicle inspection and supervision, enforcement and control.
Liew further commented that the government should look into alternative transportation modes to improve public transport service, not just depending on bus, taxis and hired cars.
He said it was pointless to have too many companies operating buses on the road, while the chronic policy was being maintained, defeating the fundamental purpose of a transport policy.
Penang is a state with long-standing problems of failing public transportation systems and is a major concern for its electorate.
Only 16 percent use public transportation
He cited Singapore's policy of engaging only two bus consortiums to provide an efficient, affordable and reliable service throughout the island state as a fine example on a government priority to achieve public transportation goals.
At present a mere 16 percent of an estimated 26 million Malaysians use public transport services throughout the country.Liew advocated mass use of public transport especially buses and was critical of the cessation of subsidy for RapidKL.
The withdrawal of subsidy, Liew quipped, was a clear example of government policy favouring entrepreneurs than commuters.
Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association has already proposed that bus fares would go up by 100 percent in wake of escalating fuel and operation costs.
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