KUALA LUMPUR'S aspiration to have a world-class public transport system rivalling those of big cities around the world must start with simple mission: more general commuting, less city driving.
Kuala Lumpur sees six million vehicles on the road daily— 2.2 million during rush hour — but only has a million public transport users.
Malaysia is among the top 15 nations in the world with the highest car ownership at 17.7 million vehicles. The National Transport Policy 2019-2030 understands this, targeting a modest 40 per cent public transport usage by 2030.
But the determination to develop a world-class public transport system has for years been embraced with indifference: Most Kuala Lumpur motorists simply won't wait for a bus or train, more willing to spend RM6.5 billion annually on petrol. The old saw of deterrent policies to popularise public transport should still be on the table: impose vehicle entry charges and make tougher to drive in some parts of Kuala Lumpur.
A great public transport system is defined by abundant transit stations, a rail infrastructure covering all possible destinations and affordability.
This can be seen in Hong Kong, Zurich, Stockholm, Singapore, Helsinki, Oslo, Tokyo, Paris, Berlin and London. One of the best examples is Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway.
It is so extensive, affordable — basic rides cost HK$0.60— and accessible that most locals don't want to drive. Here's why: the on-time rate is almost 100 per cent daily and people can simply stroll from the streets to enter any of the 98 MTR stations.
Moreover, each station has free WiFi, phone-charging stations and clean public toilets equipped with breastfeeding rooms.
There is the same ambition for greater Kuala Lumpur: a more expansive public transport network to accommodate a population boom to almost 10 million people by 2030.
Right now, the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System of commuter rail, rapid transit and bus transit involves more than 11 lines and 197 used by 823,000 riders daily and 250 million annually.
Add e-hailing services and good old-fashioned taxis, the city's public transport system is shaping up, undergirded by comprehensive investment strategies and detailed implementation by the government.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli outlined initiatives that would be a key focus in the 13th Malaysia Plan next year. Improvements in bus services, rail networks and last-mile connectivity.
Still, for this plan to work, strong political will has to be exerted against howling protests of self-interest. The petrol and car industries and Kuala Lumpur's motorists may be too attached to their cars to give up city driving — and corporate profits — to fulfil the government's global ambition.