STATE Legislative Assembly (DUN) approved RM5 million to conduct a feasibility study for Outer Ring Road in Kuching as well as planning and design for Outer Ring Road in the Supplementary Supply (2012) Bill, 2013 passed yesterday.
An opposition backbencher, however, queried how many studies the authorities would require before seeing implementation to provide a reliable and efficient public transport system.
Wong King Wei (DAP-Padungan) lamented that the current public bus system in the city was not up to standard and passengers more often than not had to spend a couple of hours to reach their destinations.
“If the public transport in the city is more than enough, why do I need three hours to take a bus from Ang Cheng Ho to 7th Mile? Worse still, those bus companies cover only popular areas.
“The whole system now is incomplete and not satisfactory. The bus services we need must be frequent, punctual and safe,” he said when met at the media centre of DUN Complex here.
Wong sniped at study after study being conducted so far but which had failed to meet its intended purpose of implementing a wholesome public transport system for Kuchingites.
“A study was done in 2005 followed by another one in 2009 and one more in 2011 or last year. It seems that the study is on-going but there is no implementation.
“And today, we approved, in one of the command papers, yet another new study at a cost of RM5 million. After recent years of studies, it remains at the stage of study.”
He said it was high time for the authorities to proceed to the next stage – implementation.
“There are too many studies, but no implementation. I have to warn the government that within three to five years, traffic congestion in Kuching will end up like that in Kuala Lumpur if a complete public transport system is still absent by then.”