Future transport plans need to be more commuter centric and responsive, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak called on public transport operators as well as the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to be more commuter-centric and responsive to demographic changes in implementing future transport plans.
"In envisioning Malaysia as a modernised nation, with liveability status equivalent to that of other developed countries, we needed to shift tracks.
"For example, examining the trend of burgeoning private vehicles heading into the heart of Kuala Lumpur city every day and rising urban migration patterns, population growth shows us that we are only a few years away from witnessing one huge gridlocked 'carpark'.
"That is not a future we want for this country," he said when opening SPAD's five-year report launch, exhibition and symposium at KL Convention Centre here today.
Najib said since SPAD's establishment in 2010, its annual survey reveals that customer satisfaction towards land public transport in Malaysia has increased from 48% (2010) to 74% (2015).
"The study also showed that consumers are most satisfied with rail services, such as LRT, KTM and ERL. This is one of the key reasons why rail has been identified as the backbone for urban public transport," he said.
Despite challenging economic times, Najib said that development projects under the 11th Malaysia Plan remain unaffected.
"Key infrastructure projects like the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the High-Speed Rail (HSR) link to Singapore will still proceed.
Looking forward to the construction of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR which is expected to be completed by 2026, Najib said that the project was poised to be a game changer.
Also present during the event were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar and Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) chief executive officer Datuk Idris Jala.