GEORGE TOWN – Penang must find other ways to immediately ease traffic congestion and not wait for the state’s RM46 billion Transport Master Plan to be implemented, Kebun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong said.
The elected representative said it will be “decades” before the master plan can be fully realised, and the state should consider other methods – such as congestion charges during peak periods.
“We cannot wait on the Transport Master Plan to mitigate traffic flow. We must do it now.
“It is time to be proactive. Having to endure two hours to reach the city centre is too much,” Ong, who heads Penang PKR’s legal bureau, told The Vibes.
Our public transport system is in disarray, and nobody has confidence in it. They would rather drive and clog up the roads. It is counterproductive and affects climate change due to carbon emissions.
He said congestion charges – as done in Singapore, South Korea, and Japan – were timely to deter motorists from using city centre roads during peak hours.
“It can be applied in states such as Penang, which is experiencing an uptick in congestion, even during the low-peak periods,” said Ong.
To complement congestion charges, he also suggested steep parking fees in the central district during peak hours to discourage people from driving and prevent further congestion.
City-centre congestion in Penang can also be reduced during festive seasons by making airfares more affordable, he added.
“This prevents reliance on cars for interstate travel. Why our roads are all jammed up is because airfares are too pricey at times, especially for the working class. They end up preferring to drive for the holidays,” said Ong.
Another proposal is for the state government to offer tax rebates to any road user who gives up car ownership to opt for public transport.
Perhaps each family can also be confined to one vehicle,” Ong suggested.
Ong said the relevant federal ministries, such as transport, must work with the Penang government on the matter and have the political will to resolve traffic issues.
The Penang Transport Master Plan is a megaproject that includes new highways, a light rail transit line, monorail lines, and an undersea tunnel connecting Penang island to the mainland.
Ong is also against the current trend of electric cars, as their batteries cannot be recycled and will end up polluting the environment.
Where others celebrated an all-time high in Malaysian vehicle sales last year, Ong said this was distressing for environmental sustainability.
The Vibes has sought responses from Penang executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari, who is in charge of public transport, and is waiting for his comments. – The Vibes, January 21, 2023
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