Updates #60

Updates #60

TRANSIT celebrates 60 separate updates of news stories, comments and blog postings related to public transport in Malaysia

1. Article: Sejarah Tercipta (Utusan Daily) – The Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah made history as the first Sultan to use the Electric Train Service from KL to Ipoh

SULTAN Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah mencipta sejarah selaku sultan pertama menggunakan Perkhidmatan Tren Elektrik (ETS) dari Kuala Lumpur ke Ipoh, semalam.

2. Article: Inter-city train to help solve commuter delays and breakdowns (The Star) – KTM will use one train from the set of new 6-car electric trains to supplement the Komuter service during peak hours.

The coach will leave Seremban at 6.15 am and reach KL Sentral at 7.30 am and Sungai Buloh at 7.50am. In the evening, it will leave Sentul at 6.30pm and reach KL Sentral at 6.45pm and Seremban at 8pm.

For more information, click here. You can also visit www.ktmkomuter.com.my or email komuter4u@ktmkomuter.com.my or phone 1-300-88-KTMB (5862).

TRANSIT: There have been recent complaints (once again) about KTM Komuter service – which begs the question (once again) from TRANSIT – when will KTMB step up and make sure that their customer service improves just a little bit so that the disruptions to the actual train service can be forgiven. We already know that KTM does not have enough trains. We are all swallowing the bitter pill of a government that waited too long to invest in KTM Komuter – let’s work together to make it better!

3. Article: Longer trains go a long way (The Star) – In this GTP update, it is announced that 17 units of 4-carriage trains are now operating on the Kelana Jaya line, meaning that there are more 4-carriage trains than 2-carriage trains. 22 trains are expected to be operational by the end of the year.

4. Article: Govt to give rail land for free (NST) – After months of negotiations over the price for the release of a piece of railway reserve land in Kuala Sepetang, Taiping, to the Perak government, the Federal Government has finally decided to hand it over for free.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, in announcing this, said the Transport Ministry had waived the RM37 million price for the 94.5ha Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) reserve land between Taiping and Kuala Sepetang (then known as Port Weld).

TRANSIT: Strangely enough, Dr. Zambry was also quoted as suggesting a rail line between Ipoh and Lumut – maybe if the government had kept the rail link running and invested in it in a timely fashion, they would not have to think about building a completely new link!

5. Article: Perak Suggests Introduction Of Ipoh-Lumut Train Service (Bernama) – The Transport Ministry will be requested to carry out a study on the feasibility of having a train service between Ipoh and Lumut to spur development, especially in the Manjung district, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

“The idea (train service) was mooted by me following the rapid development in Manjung and Lumut where there is a need for another fast and efficient transport service,” he added.

TRANSIT: This letter by Norizan Abdul Rahman of Penang discusses the advantages of the rail link to the Lumut Port and other industrial projects in Perak.

We support the concept of a new rail link but must point out (as above) that governments should be investing and maintaining the existing rail lines rather than looking to build new ones. In addition, we must point out the importance of the KTMB bypass of the Klang Valley via Port Klang, as a more important project.

6. Article: New integrated transport terminal to open by year end (The Star) – According to Syed Hamid Albar, chair of SPAD, the first Integrated Transport Terminal is scheduled to be opened by the end of 2010. The terminal is to feature a centralized ticketing system that is supposed to eliminate ticket touting. See our more detailed post on the ITT here.

7. Letter: Impressed with services of Rapid Penang (The Star) – True Blue Penangite of Petaling Jaya writes of a positive experience using RapidPenang buses.

8. Hotline: Bullied by driver during bus trip (Malay Mail) – SAW of Skudai, Johor, complained about an incident in which he was threatened and harassed by an angry driver of a Konsortium Bas Eskpres Semenanjung (KBES) bus. The company, in their response to the Malay Mail, stated that they had fired the driver.