KUALA LUMPUR: The public will be able to enjoy free rides involving all public transportation services operated by RapidKL as well as KTM Komuter services in the Klang Valley for a month starting today.
The services involve the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit, Bus Rapid Transit, monorail as well as RapidKL buses.
As for the Komuter service, the free rides involve the Tanjung Malim - Port Klang and the Batu Caves - Pulau Sebang routes.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob made the announcement when he officiated the first phase of the MRT Putrajaya line this morning.
The federal government, said Ismail Sabri, has set aside RM140 million and RM15 million to subsidise the free rides involving the RapidKL-operated public transportation and the two Komuter routes respectively.
He said the objective was to encourage more people to use public transportation not only to commute to work but also for leisure during weekends and public holidays.
"When there are more people using public transport as their mode of transportation, this will help reduce traffic woes," he told reporters.
Present were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed as well as Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim. Also in attendance were Prasarana group president and chief executive officer, Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah and MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Zarif Hashim.
In addition, Ismail Sabri said the government would look into the possibility of extending the period of free rides involving these public transportation beyond one month.
"Previously, the government had introduced other initiatives including RM150 in subsidy for selected groups such as students, senior citizens as well as people with different abilities (OKU) (to use public transportation)," he said.
Earlier in his speech, Ismail Sabri said he hoped that the commencement of the MRT Putrajaya Line would create a spillover in terms of development for areas along the route such as Bandar Sri Damansara, Jinjang, Kepong and Sungai Buloh.
"Businesses will be able to reap benefits from the operation of this line, expanding their sales and reach to more customers since they are more interconnected with other areas," he said.
Comprising 12 stations, Phase One of the MRT Putrajaya Line covers a 17.5km route between Kwasa Damansara and Kampung Batu.
Of the total stations, nine of them — Damansara Damai, Sri Damansara Barat, Sri Damansara Sentral, Sri Damansara Timur, Metro Prima, Kepong Baru, Jinjang, Sri Delima and Kampung Batu — are new stations.
The remaining stations — Kwasa Damansara, Kampung Selamat and Sungai Buloh — were previously part of the MRT Kajang Line.
The new line will be served by 20 train sets. Each train set consists of four cars and can ferry a total of 1,200 passengers. The trains are fully automated and driverless.
Ismail Sabri added that the Second Phase of the MRT Putrajaya Line with a distance of 57.7km was expected to commence operation during the first quarter of this year.
"When the Phase Two of the line commences its operation, it will provide services to two million people commuting between Kwasa Damansara and the country's federal administrative capital in Putrajaya," he said.