General News
PM says LRT Lines won't cover all places
Bernama
PETALING JAYA, March 31 โ The government will be selective in building more or extending light rail transit (LRT) lines because of the prohibitive cost, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
He said the government could not afford to build the LRT lines in all places simultaneously although there were requests from the public. โWe have to determine which area has to be given priority,โ he told reporters when asked whether LRT lines would be built in or extended to places such as Shah Alam and Klang.
Earlier, Najib launched the 1 Malaysia four-coach LRT trains for the Kelana Jaya line at the RapidKL Subang Depot, here.
The prime minister also took a ride in a train, accompanied by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, from the Bangsar LRT station to the depot, completing the journey in 20 minutes from 3.25pm.
It was reported that the Ampang LRT line would be extended from the Sri Petaling station through Kinrara and Puchong up to Putra Heights, covering a distance of 17.7km with 13 new stations.
Najib also said that a single ticket for use on public transportation in the Klang Valley would be introduced by the end of this year to encourage more people to opt for public transportation.
โIt will be comprehensive but will be executed in stages,โ he said.
The prime minister said the people would find the LRT service satisfactory and the fare reasonable and not too high.
He said the people should be made to understand that the public transportation system, such as the LRT, was a wise option for them.
โI believe more people will use the (public transportation) service if we issue more statements and give more publicity to it,โ he said.
The four-coach train is a new version of the driverless Bombardier Transportation Advance Rapid Transit Mark II built in Canada and assembled in Mexico and partly in Malaysia.
The coaches have a special area for wheelchair-bound commuters, complete with safety belts. The doors have a warning light for the benefit of hearing-impaired commuters, and there are also emergency windows. These 1Malaysia LRT trains are reflective of the support of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd for the 1Malaysia concept initiated by the prime minister, and display illustrations of RapidKL staff of various races and levels.
On complaints that the RapidKL bus service was unsatisfactory, especially in terms of punctuality, Najib said the service would be upgraded with an additional 450 buses for which orders had been placed and would be acquired in stages.
He said the objective was to raise usage of public transportation from the current 16 per cent to over 25 per cent.
Najib was accorded a warm welcome by staff of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd and RapidKL, to the accompaniment of the traditional music of the main communities in the country.
โI arrived safely. It was a very pleasant experience,โ he said at the launching ceremony.
While riding the LRT, Najib inspected the various facilities and security features on the train.
Additional Information
Country: Malaysia
Website: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/business/58238-pm-says-lrt-lines-wont-cover-all-places
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Source: Email from: TSUCHIYA Michiko
When: 10/4/2010
