Penang’s Pan Island Link could make proposed LRT redundant, says don

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 1): Penang’s ambitions to build its Pan Island Link (PIL1) highway could make the state’s planned Light Rail Transit system redundant, a Universiti Sains Malaysia academic told the Malay Mail today.

This is because both PIL1 and the proposed LRT will end up on the same route, said Associate Professor Ahmad Hilmy Abdul Hamid.

“They are building the highway first so people will already be using the highway and when they build the LRT, people will not use it,” he said, adding that this is because it is well known that Malaysians prefer using their own cars over public transportation.

“If we want people to take the public transport, we must not provide them with alternatives, we must make sure that it is more convenient for them to take public transport than driving,” he said in a report by the Malay Mail.

Ahmad Hilmy also revealed to the English daily only about 4% of Penang’s population use the public transportation.

“A good road management system will have to reduce the use of private vehicles by prohibiting these vehicles in congested areas such as implementing congestion fees and higher parking fees,” he explained.

He also added that a good public transport system must be “reliable”.

“Once they build up trust in the people, make the system reliable and people won’t lose their jobs for being late due to transportation problems, people will take the public transport system,” he said.

He said KTM Komuter service is an example of how people learnt to use a public transportation system -- “Initially, very few people took the trains, but now that people find it convenient, the trains are often crowded, so it is proven that once a system is trustworthy and efficient, people will take it for their convenience.”   

At a public dialogue to discuss the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) yesterday, the Penang Forum suggested the state consider an Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system as an alternative to the LRT.

Other forms of transport suggested by the Penang Forum include trams and bus rapid transit.

Both PIL1 and the LRT system are part of the state administration’s RM46 billion PTMP.

It was reported last month that the federal government has still not come to a decision regarding the implementation of the proposed PIL1 in Penang island under the PTMP. 

Minister of Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Yeo Bee Yin said that her department would scrutinise all feedback from the public, both in support and in opposition to the project, and conduct a discussion with the state government before making a decision. 

“We want the best outcome for all involved parties, including considerations of factors like traffic, the environment, social effects, and the like. We are open to ideas and I see that some of the people support the project, and others do not,” she was reported saying.