MRT Update: MRT Logo design contest from 3 July – 3 August 2011 (Update #1)

Update: Apparently there are now more than 200 logos entered into the MRT Logo Design contest!

With the launching of the Sg. Buloh – Kajang MRT project now 4 days away, TRANSIT took note of the following information:

A logo contest has been announced for the design of the MRT logo.

More information, including designs already submitted, can be seen here.

Contest Info (from kvmrt.com.my)

Design A MRT Logo

Now you can be part of the history. Read more about the MRT on www.facebook.com/MyRapidTransit or
follow us on www.twitter.com/MyRapidTransit and design a logo for the MRT that you think will express
what MRT will stand for. You are free to choose style and concepts. But don’t forget to write a rationale for
your logo in not more than 140 characters.

Requirements

Design Criteria

1. Artwork must incorporate the following in the logo:

• The acronym: MRT
• The line: MY Rapid Transit (in the same order)

Submission Requirements

1. To enter the logo competition, all contestants are required to first
   register at:  www.kvmrt.com.my
2. All personal particulars of contestant must be valid and fields marked with
   * must be completed.
3. All artworks must be submitted in only JPEG, GIF or PNG format.
4. Image dimensions must be exactly 200 pixel x 200 pixel at 72dpi resolution.
5. Every artwork submission must be accompanied by a completed rationale in not more
   than 140 characters.
6. All artworks uploaded after 11.59pm on the 3rd August 2011(+8:00 GMT) will be
   considered void/unsuccessful.

Participate with 3 simple steps

Prizes

The contest gives every Malaysian chance to win RM10,000 cash. And 20 consolation
winners take back RM2,000 each.

Deadline

The contest opens on 3rd of July 2011 and closes on 3rd of August 2011 (+8:00  GMT). So hurry!

Judging criteria and and other contest details can be found under terms & conditions page. We look forward to your participation!

Terms & Conditions

TRANSIT Says:

We appreciate the effort of SPAD to encourage the public to participate in various aspects of the MRT planning process. Public consultation has improved somewhat over the last project (the LRT extension) and there is a positive perception of the MRT.

But at the risk of appearing negative and grumpy, there is still a lot of room to improve on information delivery and public consultation throughout the MRT process.

It is clear that  the public (the ultimate users of MY Rapid Transit) will not be able to get involved in most of the major fundamental issues regarding the MRT unless they are directly affected by its construction – and in those cases their feedback will be heard but rarely acted upon.

In other words, much of the planning has already been done and the decisions have already been made. We could ask SPAD again to reveal information about the project (for example, the numbers justifying the MRT based on existing and projected patterns of public transport demand) but we feel that this is just not going to happen.

So with very little public consultation and few opportunities for feedback, not much else is left except for public relations activities: logo design and name the train contests, “feedback” on the selection of “station committees” and retail shops, etc.

We the public do not even get the presentation of train and station mock-ups where facilities (such as user friendliess, quality of visual and audio info, accessibility etc.) could be reviewed and evaluated by the traveling public, because these things (which would probably cost few hundred thousand ringgit) are apparently too costly for MY Rapid Transit (which will cost billions of ringgit).

But hey, enjoy the contest. The possibility of winning RM10,000 is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, you can see a selection of logos for the world’s metros here if you need help getting started. And if you happen to submit a logo, you are welcome to share it with us as well. We will certainly announce the winner when the winner is chosen.

Oh, and to SPAD: You might  as well have a “name the train” contest too.