A bit on Ipoh's new Bus Terminal Aman Jaya

I am writing this without proper research, just based on comments heard in coffeeshops. Most people I have asked do not know its name though they know of a new bus terminal.

I passed by this impressive landmark in Meru, Ipoh, whenever I visited my sister-in-law in Bandar Baru Sri Klebang via Chemor. When I was with my daughter at the new Immigration building recently, we were supposed to visit it while waiting for her passport. Instead she chose to go to Ipoh town instead. So I have yet to be in the grand terminal, which from the main road, would put our LCCT in Sepang to shame.

Aman Jaya to Ipoh, is like Putrajaya to KL. A brand new township built from scratch, thanks to our BN planners who were more interested in form rather than substance. Big contracts meant big opportunities for those well connected and big kickbacks to those with the authority to approve.

To me, Aman Jaya is just like our Batu Gajah bus station and railway station, which locations were chosen not for the convenience of the public but for reasons best known to the decision-makers. To the residents and users like myself, it is better described as 'development at the expense of convenience'. It makes no sense at all, for planners to decide on a location without considering the needs of the users. Normally, any business or in this case, a bus or rail station, should grow from where it is most popular. Any redevelopment should be at the same location, with acquisition of properties  adjoining it only if necessary. Again, it is like crying over spilt milk and wondering why the bus companies are not moving into the premises. Bus companies are business-oriented which decisions are based on what their customers need and want. Besides, they are also concerned about profits and new and grand buildings are likely to charge much higher rentals and/or other charges.

So far, my friends (who have never been there) have commented (from what they have read in the papers) that our MB and others have complained about the under-used bus terminal in Aman Jaya. This is not surprising, considering the 'out of the way' location, and my immediate reaction would be 'serves them right' for not having considered the opinions of the public.

Recently, I was surprised at the packed car park of the run-down temporary bus terminal at Medan Gopeng. After moving from Medan Kidd, this temporary site seems to meet the needs of the bus companies and the bus passengers. But because it is supposed to be temporary, nobody bothered about maintaining it up to decent standards.

From what I have gathered about the bus station in BG as an example, only Plusliner uses it to pick and drop off passengers. Transnational used to stop in front of KFC (most convenient to passengers) but would not do so because it is illegal (seems illogical to me). Why can't decision-makers (law enforcement as well as bus management) think for the people?

By the way, Mydin has a hypermarket in Meru, just across the road from Bus Terminal Aman Jaya. According to a friend who has been there, there are so few people that he wonders how long they can continue in that situation. As we all know, Mydin is a beneficiary of Najib's 1Malaysia this and that, so he has lots of public funds to waste before he feels the pinch. Meanwhile, we have to change our way of life just to suit unsuitable locations decided by people who are out of touch with reality. To rub salt into injuries, we are told promises have been honoured; public interests come first; nobody will be left behind; and so on. It is a strange world in our country better known as Malaysia Boleh. - KoSong