A public transport nightmare

If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to be squeezed by a python, try to ride on the trains or buses which make up our public transport system.

That's what Malaysia’s rails and roads are designed to do: to suffocate and constrict users, much like how a python squeezes the life out of its prey.

Riding on trains, buses and taxis in the past couple of weeks has felt a lot like that.

I found myself in this situation courtesy of a crash on New Year’s Day which turtled my car after it was sent into a tailspin, being rendered a write-off as a result.

Traffic police were stunned that I was able to walk away from the incident, but I digress.

On the flipside, this has made the last two weeks an involuntary experiment of sorts.

Barring ride-sharing apps like GrabCar, which I must add is a service I have very little to argue with, there has not been much positives to report on.

Not the taxis, Cityliner buses, and especially not the trains. KTM was awful.

For starters, the service on offer is poor and inefficient. Trains and buses are rarely on time.

Yet, the fees have recently been increased.

But the horrendous planning, or lack of it, is the elephant in the room for our public transport system.

Essentially, public transport in the Greater KL area is planned in an extremely backward fashion.

A central business district, downtown Kuala Lumpur in this case, has been created throughout the years to serve as the crème-de-la-crème neighbourhood with all the bells and whistles.

Other towns have seen a lower scale of development as the focus on economic growth is in KL.

It means more job opportunities are concentrated in downtown KL, leading to more people having to travel into KL from other towns.

Much like the spokes on a bicycle wheel leading to its wheel hub, our public transport system has been constructed to reflect this heavily skewed economic model.

Worse, the construction of numerous rail-focussed systems – KTM, light-rail transit, monorail, Express Rail Link and the soon-to-be-completed Mass-Rapid Transit – ensures that we will be stuck with these haphazard modes of transport because it is of a permanent nature.

Faced with such a nightmarish situation, many Malaysians who feel suffocated are forced into taking loan to purchase a vehicle to ease their travel needs.

That is exactly why only less than two out of 10 Malaysians use public transport, going by the World Bank’s numbers in June 2015.

Outside Eastern Europe, Malaysia is number one in private vehicle ownership. There are twice as many cars in KL than the people living in the city.

More vehicles on the road equals more traffic and a higher outlay on fuel. A double whammy for individual finances as well as carbon emissions.

Delays in traffic are costing Malaysians up to RM19.6 billion a year, slightly more than half we are paying for the goods and services tax.

Along with that, a staggering 1.2 billion litres of fuel is wasted yearly due to the daily bumper-to-bumper crawls.

The numbers definitely do not paint for good reading.

However, we are still on the same tried, tested and failed road as Putrajaya has continued to pump funds – at least RM55billion to date – into at least three phases of the MRT.

A fresh approach is needed and the most workable solution would be to empower local councils to plan their transport needs.

An integrated system of transportation which improves the first and last mile connectivity is in dire need. Because even those who rely on public transport need a car to get to that particular train station to begin with.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration has been known as an administration which thinks about policies only after implementing it.

Now would be the opportune time to buck that trend, and public transport would certainly be a good start. – January 13, 2016.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.