PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should consider putting in place a mass-rapid transit (MRT) system soon in view of the increasing population, rising CONSTRUCTION [] costs and to enhance its competitiveness in attracting foreign investors, said an official of Hong Kong's MTR Corp Ltd.
Its projects director Chew Tai Chong said an integrated transportation system as a backbone is needed to boost time and cost efficiency.
“Among one of the things foreign investors consider is a country’s core infrastructure. If their staff are taking too long to commute, it is counter-productive to their business,” he said recently. “This is part of the reason why Singapore continues to improve its MRT system.”
He also said that proposals served by key players locally could serve as a catalyst to move the project.
“A masterplan would be a step forward for Kuala Lumpur, but those involved need to remember that these plans should be reviewed and improved on a regular basis,” said Chew.
“At present, with three separate railway lines and only 18% public transport utilisation in KL, there are losses arising in terms of time and efficiency (for workers in the city centre) because of traffic congestion.”
He added there was little integration and interconnectivity between the lines and bus systems and that tolerable “walking time” for commuters to move between lines should be addressed.
On soil conditions in the city which could make drilling at certain depths challenging, Chew said there were always risks but new TECHNOLOGY [] would enable project engineers had methods to mitigate the risks.
“There is a window of opportunity in Malaysia at present (for a MRT system), given a reduction in government subsidies (for petrol), talks of environmental sustainability, and the increasing number of cars on the road,” he said. “If the project is delayed for too long, it could eventually be beyond the means of construction players to build.”
The proposal for a MRT was mooted in June this year by a joint-venture comprising of MMC Corp Bhd and GAMUDA BHD [].
The project is estimated to cost up to RM36 billion and stands to receive up to RM3.6 billion from an infrastructure allocation under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).
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