Najib Razak
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the government will continue to address the nation’s public transport needs through holistic and inclusive solutions both in urban and rural areas.
The prime minister said this was to ensure that land public transport continued to be relevant to the people and was up to par with the standards of developed nations.
He noted that the land public transport system transformation had recorded commendable progress, in tandem with significant strides achieved through the National Transformation Programme (NTP).
“Enhancing land public transport in Malaysia has been one of the government’s most meaningful and transformative agendas given its impact in delivering better commutes for citizens,” he said.
Najib said this in his remarks contained in the Land Public Transport Commission’s (SPAD) Land Public Transport Journey 2010-2015 report unveiled today.
He reckoned that this improvement, which was being felt across the nation, could not have transpired had the government held back from tackling some deeply introspective questions before embarking on the NTP.
The questions, he said, included where did Malaysia stand compared to other developed countries and where was the global economy headed.
“We took note of social imperatives in a constant state of flux and the need to cope with the challenges of increasing urbanisation,” he said, adding that for Malaysia to join the big leagues, it needed game-changers.
He said he always believed that better public transport was a critical precursor for socioeconomic growth, particularly in enabling improved quality of life, increased productivity, investments and creation of more high-value jobs for citizens.
He said besides rapid development seen in the rail sector, the government was fully behind bus service transformation including to ensure operator sustainability.
“We would like to see all underserved areas down to the furthest villages will be served and that commuters will have access to safe and reliable services,” he said.
The prime minister noted that a massive revamp was also underway with the Taxi Industry Transformation Programme designed to put Malaysian taxis on par with cab services in other world’s leading cities.
Recalling history, Najib said the country’s public transport system had come a long way since the opening of the first railway line in 1885.
In fact, he said the number of passengers that now numbered millions would be boosted once construction of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail that will connect both cities in under 90 minutes was completed.
“We are undoubtedly standing on the brink of a new era of connectivity and mobility in this country,” he added. – Bernama