Commuters hail My50 pass for cheaper travel via public transport

The continuation of the My50 monthly pass for Prasarana Bhd’s rail and bus services in the Klang Valley is welcomed by the public as it saves costs and provides convenient travel.

The My50 pass offers 30 days of unlimited rides on Rapid KL Light Rapid Transit (LRT), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Monorail, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Rapid KL bus, and MRT feeder bus services in the Klang Valley.

Transit Malaysia, a group advocating for public transport ease of access, viewed the continuation of My50 as an encouragement for people to use public transport instead of their own vehicles.

Its assistant secretary, Cheong Sze Hoong, said apart from increasing access to the community, the facility also influences people to at least consider using public transport.

“From our interactions with public transport users, commuters with less spending power (such as students and individuals from lower-income groups) have benefited so much from My50.

“Besides spending less on transport for those that use it for daily commutes, there is also the mental uplift from being able to take unlimited rides on public transport without needing to top up for a month. So, commuters would not need to worry when they are in a rush.

“It has also contributed to people moving from motor vehicles to riding public transport, which can be considered a good carbon reduction initiative,” he said when contacted by Bernama, adding that My50 should be extended to KTM Komuter services as well.

Meanwhile, 70-year-old Chin Mee Ying said the My50 pass has enabled her to go around different places without having to spend too much on concession tickets, as she travels from Subang Jaya to Kajang using the LRT and MRT daily.

“I usually have to pay around RM10 daily just for the commute using concession tickets. As I need to tend to my elderly mother in Kajang daily, the pass has helped a lot in reducing my expenditure. I really appreciate the government for continuing this initiative with Rapid KL,” she said.

‘Less of a hassle’

For Multimedia University (MMU) Cyberjaya undergraduate Lee Weng Hoong, the My50 pass prompted him to switch from driving to using public transport.

He said the pass allowed more freedom of movement for him and his friends who usually travel to the city centre of Kuala Lumpur after classes.

“We used to drive to KLCC every other day but it got tiring really fast because of the heavy traffic. Now we need to only take the bus to get to Cyberjaya City Centre MRT station and board the train to Ampang Park station and interchange to LRT to get there.

“If I’m driving, I spend at least RM10 on fuel alone and a few extra ringgit on tolls using the expressways, but using the Rapid KL public transport services with the pass is much less of a hassle, not to mention only RM50 for the entire month.

“I highly recommend people from all walks of life to start using public transportation as it’s accessible and affordable,” Lee said.

The My50 pass was initially introduced along with the My100 pass in December 2018 by the government as a way to ease the people’s cost of living but it was temporarily replaced with the My30 pass between June 2020 and December 2021.

On Oct 7 last year, former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, when tabling Budget 2023, said the My50 monthly pass initiative would continue in 2023, a move which would benefit nearly 180,000 users who can each enjoy subsidies of up to RM150 per month or RM1,800 per year.

- Bernama