KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — The government’s initiatives to build a double track railway from Ipoh-Padang Besar to Johor Baru and upgrade railway tracks in the country would impact positively on the nation’s economy.
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Economics lecturer Profesor Dr Shazali Abu Mansor said the measures would not only render the railway services more systematic, they would also reduce transportation costs for the services and manufacturing sectors.
“The problem in Malaysia is the high transportation costs even though the manufacturing cost may be cheap,” he said when contacted by Bernama here today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said while tabling the Budget 2014 yesterday that five measures would be implemented to provide better quality public transport services including building the Ipoh-Padang double track up to Johor Baru and upgrading the railways and tracks in the country on a budget of RM2.9 billion.
Meanwhile, China-Malaysia Tour Association secretary general Tai Toh Kim noting that the tourism sector was among the country’s main economic contributors, said a good transport system would boost tourism.
“Trains particularly, is a good mode because it is comfortable and much cheaper than by air. The railway service from Ipoh (Perak) to Padang Besar (Perlis) till Johor Baru is an opportunity for Malaysia to draw more tourists,” he said. – Bernama
