Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Anyway, the responses from the providers indicate that changes will be seen in stages as procurement takes time. New Komuter coaches are due in 2010 as reported below.
On the KTM commuter services, which is under the Transport Ministry, Ong said the Government had allocated RM200mil to procure 10 sets of electric multiple units (EMU) expected to arrive in 2010.
Also, five electric train sets would be procured to facilitate the KL Sentral-Ipoh fast train services, he said, adding that these were expected to arrive in 2010.
As for LRT, it will new coaches will arrive between 2009 and 2011:
RapidKL general manager (communications) Ebi Azly Abdullah said SPNB would deliver 22 sets of new four-car trains between 2009 and 2011
“This will double the Kelana Jaya line's current passenger capacity of 160,000 passengers daily to more than 300,000 daily,” he said.
A KTM spokesman said the critical shortage was due to a major overhaul exercise being conducted in stages on 50 train sets since last year but passenger capacity would increase by 10% once the overhaul was done.
So, I can't really see what immediate measures can be done here. Surely the ministers (Finance Minister especially) already know about this procurement and financial issues since these providers are GLCs. So, one now have to ask if was it necessary to to take the public transport or was things hidden from PM's knowledge until he has to see things for himself? Both questions are worrying, so I hope some one can tell a different reason.
Perhaps PM could have just got his officers to bring articles from the newspapers where people complain nearly everyday about public transport problem. Its of course good in terms of PR campaign as the public can complain directly to him.
BTW, it seems safe for politicians to walk about in public freely, so perhaps we can do away with those outriders, security guards, and other followers? 🙂
