FEBRUARY 20 — Millions of Malaysians travel abroad every year. One country that stands out as having the best impression among Malaysians is Japan. When asked on why they love Japan so much, one of the top reasons given is the efficient, extensive, user-friendly public transportation system.
The same is true for Singapore and most of Western European countries. Having extensive, efficient and user-friendly public transportation network can make a country deemed successful and overall positive and lastingimpression among visitors.
Gradually those nations become the top lists for everyone to visit. As an idea, in 2018 more than 300,000 Malaysians visited Japan, that's roughly 1 per cent of entire population.
But how about the state of public transport in our country? I have personally travelled to 45 countries so far and I'm afraid to say that the state of public transport in our nation is below par.
Among the problems are the lack of stops in densely populated areas, having low user friendliness, being slow and having poor integration with other lines and lack of seamless connection to final destination.
Seamless and extremely user-friendly Dubai public transport
I was living in Dubai back in 2013 for a year, in a suburb called Silicon Oasis, 25 kilometres outside the Dubai city centre. There was a reliable timetable that would be updated constantly online that I could refer to, thus enabling me to leave my flat seven to eight minutes in advance. There was a proper zebra crossing that allowed me to cross to the other end of the road where a bus stop was located and I did not have to wait very long for the bus to arrive.
The interior of the bus was modern and comfortable and I reached the main terminal of Rishidiya which was close to the city centre in just 20 minutes even though it was a 15-kilometre distance. From there, I took a metro train to downtown Dubai and had to wait for a maximum of only eight minutes.
The train ride was fast and very relaxing. When I arrived in downtown Dubai, I found it to be pedestrian friendly with wide, proper pedestrian paths and functional traffic lights that enabled me to reach offices and buildings with complete peace of mind free of any worry.
This is due to the fact that crossing roads in Dubai are generally safe and reliable as all traffic lights are functioning properly.
Public transport in Malaysia just not up to standard
Yet the same cannot be said of the state of transport in our country. When I returned to Malaysia I was dismayed by the significant drop in quality of public transport and hostile pedestrian infrastructure within Klang Valley when compared to Dubai.
Say, for example, that I would want to travel from my home in the outskirts of Shah Alam to The Weld Shopping Mall in Kuala Lumpur. First, I would need to take the free Selangorku bus to KTM Komuter station in Padang Jawa. To be fair, this is a smooth and easy ride with a waiting time of only 15 minutes.
However, the next ride is disappointing to say the least. This is because the maximum time to wait for the train to arrive at the KTM Komuter station platform is very long, with a train arriving up to every 20 minutes during peak hours and can be as long as 35 minutes during off-peak hours.
Trains frequently fail to arrive on time and the electronic timetable display is often woefully inaccurate. Once I board the train, I am set for a painfully slow ride as the train may slow down suddenly or even stop pending clearance.
What should be a 30-minute ride from the Padang Jawa station to the KL Sentral station ends up as a one hour ride as a result! This translates into an average speed of 30 kilometres an hour, which is unacceptably slow and not in accordance with international standards.
Imagine driving continuously at 30 kilometres per hour for 30 kilometres. Ludicrous, isn’t it? Yet this is the present state of affairs and has stayed the same throughout the 15 or so odd years that I have been using KTM Komuter.
Jakarta-Bogor rail is smooth and fast
To compare, the train which I took from Jakarta to Bogor when I was in Indonesia for a holiday took only one hour and 25 minutes to reach a distance of 60 kilometres, which comes to an average speed of 42 kilometres per hour.
This would indicate that the Jakarta-Bogor train is 40 per cent faster than the trip from Padang Jawa to KL Sentral via KTM. The frequency of this train is superior to that of our own KTM trains
and once the train leaves every stop, it accelerates to its maximum speed without slowing down.
Poor ventilation at KL Sentral and dangerous walking
As a hub, KL Sentral is poorly ventilated and poorly air-conditioned. It feels uncomfortably hot, sweaty and unsettling for locals and tourists alike and it has been like this for the past 15 years at least.
From here, the LRT ride to Dang Wangi is pretty good. The problem is to get to the Weld Mall — just before reaching the mall, we need to cross the road (Jalan P Ramlee) and it can be dangerous.
When I was there last time, the pedestrian traffic light didn't function (the push button for pedestrian didn't work!) and it was a battle for me to cross Jalan P Ramlee with the fast oncoming vehicles from both directions.
How about families with kids on strollers? It is extremely hard for them to cross the road. The width of pedestrian sidewalks in downtown Kuala Lumpur is narrow and not up to par when compared to Dubai.
Immediate need to bring our transport up to par
I find the road traffic condition in the Klang Valley to be among the worst when compared to all major world cities that I have had the chance to travel to. This increases stress and unhappiness with several hours wasted wading through traffic that could be used to do productive work and pursue personal interests.
Having a user-friendly public transport system will ease this problem substantially. Malaysians are often asked why they do not use our present public transport in greater numbers, but why should they ditch their air-conditioned cars when they at least allow them to reach their destinations on time, or in my case, enable me to reach The Weld in just one hour tops during off-peak times, whereas the slow, infrequent public transport combined with dangerous walking takes two hours at least?
Ways to incentivise commuters to increase public transport usage should be implemented and one of them is to introduce more direct routes. This can be done via buses as it takes years for train lines to be constructed.
For one, if there is a direct bus route right from my doorstep in Shah Alam to KL Sentral, without the need of bus detours to nearby stations and long waiting times for trains then more people would be enticed to use it.
Seamlessness of connections crucial
Another way is for KTM Komuter to undergo an immediate, comprehensive upgrade in its frequency and speed as it the major backbone of public transport within the Klang Valley.
Waiting times should never exceed 15 minutes at any given time and the journey from Padang Jawa to KL Sentral, for example, should not take longer than 35 minutes at most.
Seamlessness of connections with the final destination of a commuter is crucial and to this end, the pedestrian walkways in the Klang Valley are in dire need of substantial improvement with the widths thereof needing substantial widening and tiling thereof upgraded to be of better quality.
World-class cities such as Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo, London and even car-centric American cities have wide and consistent pedestrian sidewalks in their city centres as well as outskirts. The relevant authorities must also ensure that all pedestrian traffic lights are functional and pedestrian press buttons on them work all the time.
Better public transport means a more productive Malaysia
I cannot stress enough that having a user-friendly public transport system would bring many positive benefits for our country. We would be happier as we could commute or reach our destinations faster and this reduces stress and unproductivity.
Foreign tourists, especially those coming from nations with excellent transport systems, would hold our nation in higher regard and speak positively on how easy it is to travel in Malaysian cities to their immediate contacts, thus creating a ripple effect which will bring more tourists to our country in the long run.
Current travel trends of the world heavily favour nations with efficient public transportation and walkability rather than those requiring extensive car and taxi usage, as the latter adds to costs. Therefore it is very important for us to catch up with the world’s best when it comes to enhancing our public transport system and I sincerely hope that our authorities will give this notion not only thought but the action it deserves.
* Fawwaz Roslan is an avid traveller.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
