An NGO has criticised the government’s decision to implement free RapidKL rides in Klang Valley for a month as the move does little to fix commuters’ public transportation woes.
In a statement today, Transit Malaysia alleged that the RM155 million allocation to subsidise the free fares could have been used to deal with the “unaddressed down spiralling state of urban public transport in Klang Valley”.
It added that Parliament should have been consulted first before the decision to implement free rides for RapidKL, which is run by government-owned Prasarana Berhad.
“The RM155 million allocated (to subsidise the free one-month fares) was not passed through Parliament, reflecting a lack of accountability to Parliament and the people's representatives.
“(It) could have been used to create and manage an urban public transport trust fund and cross-subsidy programme. This will help secure a sustainable funding stream to ensure more dependable urban rail and bus services,” the group said.
Instead, it claimed that Klang Valley residents would have preferred better safety measures and urban transportation maintenance.
“They are not looking for free rides, (but for) user-friendly, convenient, frequent, and highly accessible public transport,” it said.
‘Unsustainable spending’
The NGO called on political parties to listen to the expectations of Malaysians, and research into systemic planning, governance and funding issues that have led to public transport mismanagement.
“Malaysians do not benefit from the promise of huge, fancy, and expensive mega-projects and unsustainable free rides that ultimately lead to nowhere. If political parties truly intend to solve this problem, they must propose changes in public transport and urban planning policies and develop practical solutions.
“Otherwise, unsustainable spending will ultimately lead to cutbacks in service, making life even more difficult for Malaysians,” it added.
Last week, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced free rides for all public transport services operated by RapidKL for 30 days.
The initiative was made in conjunction with the launch of the MRT Putrajaya Line Phase 1.
He said the move will help Malaysians struggling with the rising cost of living.
This initiative covers MRT, LRT, BRT, KL Monorail, KTM Komuter and RapidKL buses. - Mkini
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