by GLORIA HARRY BEATTY
THE government targets to operate 299 train carriages nationwide, through a phased plan from 2024 to 2030, aiming to achieve an 80% utilisation rate of Peninsular Malaysia’s railway tracks by 2030.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said the government will also be exploring improvements in three key areas of public transport, namely bus services, rail networks and integrated “first and last mile” connectivity.
For bus services, efforts will include expanding connectivity and coverage, improving availability and consistency, and introducing dedicated bus lanes along with the Kuala Lumpur Autonomous Rail Transit (KL ART) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems.
“The rail network will also be expanded to improve services and enhance the passenger experience.
“Additionally, the government will upgrade bus stops, pedestrian walkways, and introduce Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT), an integrated journey planner, and micro-mobility options to ensure smoother and more efficient connectivity,” he told reporters during a joint press conference with the Transport Ministry (MOT) regarding the Railway Industry Empowerment Initiative on Wednesday.
Rafizi noted that the measures in the plan will be implemented in phases, ensuring an orderly approach aligned with the country’s economic and development goals.
This effort will be a key focus of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which will be introduced next year.
He highlighted that an efficient public transport system is not only crucial for reducing congestion and promoting environmental sustainability but also serves as a key driver of economic growth.
Economy Ministry and MOT will collaborate to improve the public transport landscape in the country, with emphasis in the Klang Valley region.
Rafizi said the low rail density and the availability of public transport services in the Klang Valley have led to one of the highest car ownership rates globally.
The Klang Valley has only 0.21 buses per 1,000 people, covering 323 routes.
However, only 9% of these routes have frequencies of one to 15 minutes, 63% have frequencies of 16 to 30 minutes, and 28% have frequencies exceeding 30 minutes.
“For rail services, if the length of rail routes is divided by the geographical area, rail connectivity in the Klang Valley is only 7.9m per sq km compared to developed countries like the UK (67.5m per sq km) and Singapore (352m per sq km),” he said.
He added that overall, only 55% of the Klang Valley is covered by rail and bus services, leaving many areas without any form of public transport connectivity.
Currently, 70% of the total passenger rail capacity in Peninsular Malaysia is underutilised, with only 68 passenger trains operating nationwide.
Rafizi said the National Transport Policy 2019-2030 has set a target to achieve 40% public transport usage by 2030.
To achieve this, the Economy Ministry and MOT conducted a strategic workshop on May 17, 2024, to identify key investments needed to enhance and expand the public transport network.
