KLANG Valley residents want real and lasting solutions to public transport woes and not one month of  free rides, public transport civil society group Transit Malaysia said.

“They are looking for user-friendly, convenient, frequent and highly accessible public transport. 

“At minimum, they want their buses and trains to be safe and reliable,” the group said in a statement in response to the government’s move to make public transport services operated by Rapid KL free for a month from June 16.

Transit said it would have been better for the RM155 million the government is spending on to make the services free for a month to be used to improved the reliability of public transport, and to create and manage an urban public transport trust fund and cross-subsidy programme.

These would be longer-lasting and more sustainable solutions to boost ridership.

Transit also noted that the RM155 million spending did not go through Parliament and questioned the government’s accountability on the use of such funds in that manner.

The group noted frequent complaints by public transport users on social media of late. The complaints and photos shared were of poor lighting, dark areas on train platforms and walkways in and around stations.

There were also complaints about bus users waiting for over two hours for an MRT feeder bus, and why bus schedules were highly inaccurate.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on June 16 said all Rapid KL services – MRT, LRT, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), monorail and Rapid KL buses – would be free for a month, in to mark the official opening of Phase 1 of the MRT Putrajaya Line. 

Transit, however, said this left those living outside the Klang Valley wondering when they would see serious attention given to their public transport needs.

With the 15th general election coming, the group said political parties must listen to the public’s expectations regarding urban transportation. 

It added that the state of urban transportation is too highway- and car-oriented, and is unsustainable, while “inequitable petrol subsidies” keep the urban population dependent on the usage of private vehicles.

“Malaysians do not benefit from the promise of huge, fancy and expensive mega-projects and unsustainable free rides that ultimately lead to nowhere.

“If political parties truly intend to solve this problem, they must propose changes in public transport and urban planning policies, and develop practical solutions. 

“Otherwise, unsustainable spending will ultimately lead to cutbacks in service, making life even more difficult for Malaysians,” it said. – June 22, 2022.