COMMUTERS are holding back from using public transport because of the government’s failure to address last-mile connectivity issues, said transportation experts.

They told The Malaysian Insight that the lack of end-to-end coverage is a major concern for commuters and neglected by the authorities and service providers.

This is keeping commuters from using public transport, such as buses and trains, they added.

Town planner Yong Sun Wong said government officials only have to take a bus to understand what the issues are and what needs to be done.

“The problem is not with the quality of public buses. It’s how to get people to locations where they can use public transport,” Yong said.

Another town planner, Nai Chun Wei, said connectivity between certain areas remains a major hassle.

“How do we get people to use public transport? There needs to be enough coverage. There are certain issues that need to be ironed out before people start using public transport but the critical part is last-mile connectivity, which we have failed to address,” Nai said.

Commuters tend to face difficulty getting home after a long day at work as Malaysian cities are scattered, making it difficult for public transport to cover all areas, he said.

“Town planning has to be more concentrated, so public transport can cater to more people. Otherwise, connections will be poor and it will not meet commuters’ needs.”

Structural changes

Yong said public transport problems in Malaysia involved not only town planning but land issues as well.

“There are many people who work in Kuala Lumpur but live outside the city, and they only enter the area when they need to work.

“But nowadays, there are many occupations where an office is not necessary. You can work from a cafe or even at home, but we have not seen changes to adapt to this yet,” he said.

For example, Yong said, as many properties are now high-rises, he suggested schools be built within these buildings.

“Building a school within an apartment complex means the school will be safe and it eliminates the need for commuting. We need these sort of structural changes.”

Yong said shifting Malaysia’s administrative capital from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, and the nation’s main airport from Subang to Sepang during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first tenure as prime minister were some such structural changes, but they didn’t go far enough.

“Those were among the structural changes needed but they weren’t enough because businesses are all concentrated in Kuala Lumpur. That’s why Putrajaya and Cyberjaya have small populations.”

Disrupting Grab

Yong said the nation has yet to see any noteworthy public transport policy from Pakatan Harapan after more than a year in federal power.

The implementation of the public service vehicle (PSV) licence requirement on Grab drivers also disrupted a good system, he said.

“Grab was connecting that last mile.

“Now that the government plans to allow motorcycle-hailing services, will they be compelled to acquire PSV licences as well? This is now an issue that needs looking into.” 

On whether the government has the will to address these issues, Nia said both the previous Barisan Nasional government and the current government know full well what issues are plaguing the public transport system but need time to look into it.

“The government needs a more comprehensive policy that covers all services but this requires it to identify fundamental issues,” Yong said.

Nia said the government is not taking a comprehensive view of the problem as it doesn’t seem to know what are the fundamental problems affecting the public transport system.

For example, he said, the plan to acquire highway concessionaires and eliminate tolls would be ineffective in addressing public transport issues as they are unrelated.

While the government raises proposals, it appears to be missing the mark, he said. – September 5, 2019.