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Malaysia To Implement Traffic Control To Reduce Jams
by Kazi Mahmood for IslamOnline
JAKARTA (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Malaysian government may introduce a car restraining policy in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur by reducing the number of car parks to control road congestion in the city.
The policy would be designed to encourage people to use public transportation.
Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik indicated that such a policy might be implemented upon the integration of city commuter services, such as the Light Rail Transport (LRT), Monorail and bus system.
"Once we have that network in place, we will begin implementing more aggressively the car restraining policy, which means we reduce the number of car parks available," he said.
Ling introduced the measure after witnessing the signing of a KL Monorail concession agreement between the government and the KL Monorail System in Kuala Lumpur.
Transport Ministry Secretary-General Zaharah Shaari and Deputy Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Mohamed Nor represented the government, while KL Monorail chairman David Chew and executive director Al-Jeffery Ibrahim signed for the company.
Kuala Lumpur is extremely congested during the mornings, evenings and on Fridays, when large numbers of private vehicles head to the city. Traffic jams are made more acute due to numerous traffic lights on the major arteries into the city.
The KL Monorail project, started in January 1997, suffered temporarily from the 1998 Asian financial crisis and because of the delay, its construction is expected to be completed in December 2001, and be operational in July 2002.
The government intends to invest $2 million into the system so that changes to the city's traffic problems can proceed.
Under the agreement signed Monday, KL Monorail will develop, construct, operate and maintain the monorail system for 40 years.
Ling said implementation of the car restraining policy would be in stages, as the government wanted the people to get used to the public transport network.
Towards this end, a task force had been established to look into the integration of public transport systems in the Klang Valley.
Kuala Lumpur's City Hall has already taken steps to reduce by 35% the number of parking bays at buildings close to LRT stations to encourage workers there to use the service.
He said public transportation such as the LRT, Monorail and the KTM Komuter, are more reliable, fast, comfortable and safer.
Ling said the $250 million monorail project indicated the government was aware of difficulties in implementing public transport projects. Hence, the government decided that KL Monorail should continue as a privatized project with government support in the form of almost a $100 million loan.
"The government has also given its endorsement for the company to be listed publicly under the infrastructure project guidelines and in addition the company has also been given the right to carry out some commercial activities along the monorail corridor," he said.
He said fares have also been reviewed and capped at a fair and reasonable level, starting from RM1.20 to a maximum of RM2.50 for the 8.6 km stretch.
The system passes through Kuala Lumpur's central business and shopping district and interfaces with the Star and Putra LRT, KTM and the Express Rail Link (ERL) networks.
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