Group calls for urgent transport fare review

Malaysians would not have suffered so much if a tariff review committee had been set up, says 4PAM

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Public Transport Users Association (4PAM) has renewed its call for the establishment of a Public Transport Tariff Review Committee (PTTRC) and urged Prime Minister Najib Razak to ensure that public transport fares are reviewed immediately.

Speaking to FMT,its president Ajit Johl said all stakeholders should be represented in the PTTRC and it should report directly to the Prime Minister or the Transport Ministry.

He was reacting to a reader’s letter to The Star which said that using public transport was less feasible than driving one’s own vehicle because fares on LRT and BRT were exorbitant.

Ajit said Malaysians were suffering because nothing like a PTTRC had been set up.

“Had the committee been in place, we believe fare hikes would be more realistic and acceptable to users,” he said.

He said the committee could do more than just review fares; it could also look into other fees related to transportation, such as rates at park-and-ride facilities.

At present, he said, the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) could approve increases in fares “at whim”.

“4PAM understands that operators have cost structures and need fare increments, but there must be a basis for increases,” he said.

“Fare increases should be based on operational costs and the performance of operators against predetermined KPIs.”