Rapid KL will take over the management of the bus system in Penang, putting an end to the island’s long standing public transportation woes. Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RAPID KL) is the company tasked with providing an integrated public transport system in the Klang Valley incorporating rail and bus services. It is a 100% government-owned company under the Ministry of Finance.
So bad is public transport that hundreds of thousands of Malaysians opt for their own motorcycles and cars. In Penang alone, there are some 1.5 million registered motor vehicles for a population of 1.5 million, with the registration rate increasing by 9.5 percent annually.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said it was the Government’s Chinese New Year gift to Penang commuters. Abdullah said this in an immediate response to Dr Koh’s plea to the Federal Government to allow Rapid KL to operate in Penang and integrate the bus system with the upcoming monorail network.
Dr Koh admitted that the state government did not have the expertise to ensure a smooth public transportation system. He added that the state government was not keen to take up the loan offered because it did not want to be weighed down financially.
Earlier, a company set up by the local council to apply for a license to run the public bus service has been rejected by the CVLB because it did not meet the minimum capitalisation requirement of RM500k. It was set up as a RM2 company. Several individuals who were part of the public bus system planning team have expressed their disappointment over the decision.
There are pros and cons in the decision to allow Rapid KL to run the bus system in Penang. The company has a huge commitment to enhance the bus system in Klang Valley. More resources are needed to ensure that the bus system runs smoothly in Klang Valley and the new federal capital, Putrajaya. In Putrajaya alone, an estimated 600 more buses are needed to ensure a smooth bus system.
With Penang inlcuded, the company may be spreading its resources too thin. Although, comparatively Rapid KL has done a better job in Klang Valley than all current operators in Penang.
However, it is unfortunate that the state government gave up too soon. If the state government does not have the expertise to ensure a smooth public transport system, can it be entrusted to run other bigger and more complex agendas or projects? As a Penangite, my confidence is shaken.
So bad is public transport that hundreds of thousands of Malaysians opt for their own motorcycles and cars. In Penang alone, there are some 1.5 million registered motor vehicles for a population of 1.5 million, with the registration rate increasing by 9.5 percent annually.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said it was the Government’s Chinese New Year gift to Penang commuters. Abdullah said this in an immediate response to Dr Koh’s plea to the Federal Government to allow Rapid KL to operate in Penang and integrate the bus system with the upcoming monorail network.
Dr Koh admitted that the state government did not have the expertise to ensure a smooth public transportation system. He added that the state government was not keen to take up the loan offered because it did not want to be weighed down financially.
Earlier, a company set up by the local council to apply for a license to run the public bus service has been rejected by the CVLB because it did not meet the minimum capitalisation requirement of RM500k. It was set up as a RM2 company. Several individuals who were part of the public bus system planning team have expressed their disappointment over the decision.
There are pros and cons in the decision to allow Rapid KL to run the bus system in Penang. The company has a huge commitment to enhance the bus system in Klang Valley. More resources are needed to ensure that the bus system runs smoothly in Klang Valley and the new federal capital, Putrajaya. In Putrajaya alone, an estimated 600 more buses are needed to ensure a smooth bus system.
With Penang inlcuded, the company may be spreading its resources too thin. Although, comparatively Rapid KL has done a better job in Klang Valley than all current operators in Penang.
However, it is unfortunate that the state government gave up too soon. If the state government does not have the expertise to ensure a smooth public transport system, can it be entrusted to run other bigger and more complex agendas or projects? As a Penangite, my confidence is shaken.
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