KUALA LUMPUR – Public transport in Kuala Lumpur has seen improvements over time, but there is still more to be done to make it more affordable and punctual, regular commuters say.
At times, taking the bus or train is more of an obstacle than a help to arriving at work on time, some of them told Scoop.
For Nur Aqilah Azli, 25, punctuality is important when using public transport. She relies on the MRT and LRT to get to work as a marketing and communications associate.
“They (MRT and LRT trains) may not be the best, but they’ve definitely improved compared to several years ago, especially after the transport minister (Anthony Loke) increased the frequency of trains during peak hours,” she told Scoop.
On September 14, Loke said the new LRT coaches will benefit passengers by reducing waiting times from 4.4 minutes to 3.8 minutes.
Aqilah welcomed this news, as she has been late to work at times because of issues with the train service.
“The efficiency of Malaysia’s public transport could be improved by investing, upgrading and expanding the public transport infrastructure (train tracks and stations, bus terminals).
“Smart technologies like real-time tracking, electronic ticketing and mobile apps that provide more information and convenience to commuters could be implemented,” Aqilah added.
University student Kazem Mikael Mohamad Kamal, 18, prefers to get to classes using his university’s buses and Prebet, the university’s substitute for GrabCar, which he finds cheaper due to student prices.
When he uses public transport, he arrives late to class.
“I have been more than five minutes late to classes before due to public transport, but never more than 30 minutes late.
“Public buses and trains could be improved in terms of facilities and features, where the vehicles’ seats could be made more comfortable,” said Kazem when met at KL Sentral, and he also suggested that service frequency be increased.
He said he does use the LRT and MRT services when moving around Kuala Lumpur, especially during holidays such as Hari Raya.
Cost, meanwhile, is a factor for Chan Hooi Chee, 52, who works as a chef and mostly uses free bus services.
Occasionally, he uses the LRT to get to work but finds it and the MRT service expensive to use – even with the My50 travel pass, which costs RM50 and provides unlimited 30-day travel on all Rapid KL’s bus and rail services.
“The LRT, MRT and monorail are fast but pricey. I never take GrabCar or taxis either. I start work at 3am and finish between 10am and 11am. Then, I’ll take the MetroBus which sends me straight home on the same bus line.
“The MetroBus has never failed me even after 38 years,” Chan said when met outside KL Sentral, stressing that he would rather walk if buses were not available.
He thinks the government could improve public transport by reducing ticket prices, which he feels can be done using taxpayers’ money.
Aim to be better
Meanwhile, on the r/malaysia forum on Reddit, users shared their views on what Malaysia should aim for in improving public transport.
They spoke of first and last-mile connectivity and better maintenance of infrastructure as done in other countries.
“We have good mass transport in the form of MRT and LRT trains, but it’s not as excellent as Tokyo’s. The remaining problem is the first and last mile – how to get to the (train) station, and how to get to the destination from the (train) station,” said Reddit user “TomMado” to a question on improving public transport.
TomMado also said the current frequency of buses makes them unreliable for many people.
Another user called “Izumi” made observations on first and last-mile connectivity, saying: “Most walking paths are either too far, not in (good) condition, or both. The Malaysian weather is really hot, which makes walking even harder”.
User “juliensyn” also had similar complaints on connectivity, frequency and capacity, as well as maintenance.
“Some train stations could do with regular maintenance and should be made part of malls or community centres with facilities such as post offices or convenience stores.”
Another Reddit user called “Puzzleheaded-Rain230” pointed out Malaysia’s car-centric policies that encourage car ownership and building more highways, rather than efforts to improve public transport further. – October 24, 2023
