KOTA KINABALU – Sabah DAP is pushing for the government to establish a body to improve Kota Kinabalu’s public transport system, saying it is the root of the people’s unhappiness.
Sabah DAP secretary and Luyang assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe said the state’s capital needs a centralised bus system, which requires a paradigm shift in Sabah’s public transportation planning.
He said instead of tackling traffic congestion issues, the government has been building more roads and flyovers which need five years to be completed and are worsening the problem.
“The only solution to this is proper public transportation planning to resolve this never-ending issue once and for all,” he said in a statement today.
Kota Kinabalu has been ranked the country’s second-lowest city in the Malaysian Urban-Rural National Indicators Network on Sustainable Development 2021 Happiness Index study, which Phoong attributed to public transportation.
“One of the most important factors to determine the happiness index of a city is mobility and public transportation. However, in Kota Kinabalu, 97% of residents have no choice but to drive their own vehicles for daily mobility,” he said.
“Our roads are unable to meet the surging demand as road users are increasing rapidly. Traffic congestion has also been worsening, especially after work and after school hours. The people are getting frustrated day by day.”
Citing the World Bank’s report in 2015, he said every family in Kota Kinabalu spends more than 10% of their household income on transportation, equivalent to Paris, but the average income is sizably lower than the French city’s.
“These expenses are unnecessary. If we have a convenient and user-friendly public transportation system, these families can rely on decent public transportation,” he said.
He also said that it is unacceptable for Kota Kinabalu, with its urban sprawl, to still have bus services that are “the same” as they were 30 years ago.
He questioned whether the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led state government has the political will to push for institutional reforms and a better public transportation system.
“If our urban planning does not adopt transit-oriented development planning now, I believe Kota Kinabalu will continue to be one of the unhappiest cities in Malaysia,” he said.
Phoong also suggested for a bus rapid transit system be built, covering three main routes, with buses reformed to ensure connectivity with residential areas.
He said Sabah DAP will continue making public transportation in Kota Kinabalu a priority, in line with the people’s vision and aspirations. – The Vibes, May 26, 2022
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