Leaders Must Show The Way By Using Public Transport

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The announcement this week of a free ride for all government-owned public transport impressed me.
It shows that the prime minister and his government are now listening and reacting to a problem faced by the community.
I must congratulate him and his government.
However, there are other impending issues surrounding public transport that the government must resolve.
While a free ride is a good start, it will only result in a temporary increase in ridership. A month from today, the roads around Kuala Lumpur will be jammed up again, as some people will return to their cars to get into the city.
Popularising public transport
The main issue here is not just about ridership or the number of users.
It is about how to popularise public transport and make the entire Malaysian community aware that there is a better alternative to driving into the city, not just KL but any city in the country.
There is a challenge that the government has to face: they must be prepared to be popular with public transport users and at the same time be unpopular with car users.
There is also a related and bigger issue that the government must tackle head-on: air pollution, climate change, reducing our carbon footprint, which is rising rapidly and mostly contributed by excessive car use.
Creating awareness
Awareness is an important factor in dealing with this issue and the government must take the lead.
So far the government is trying to please both groups, car users and public transport users.
They have not delved deeper into the real issues, such as sustainability measures, and providing an awareness strategy for public transport.
The prime minister should be saying that public transport is not designed and built only for the poor to use. The rich must also use it, too.
Our public transport systems should be embraced by most people, across the strata of society, because the ultimate objective is to reduce our carbon footprint.
That is why the MRT line passes through some of the posher parts of the city, such as Damansara Heights and Tropicana.
Since the prime minister has encouraged greater use of public transport, perhaps he could take the next step by using it, too, occasionally.
I would urge him to take the lead and try it out by taking the train from Tropicana to Putrajaya.
A media blitz could accompany this move, to be followed by a firm instruction for his cabinet members to take the ERL to Putrajaya every Wednesday, whenever there is a cabinet meeting.
The second part may include getting all the MPs to travel by public transport to get to Parliament. In this way, parliamentary debates on the carbon footprint and the use of public transport in all urban areas will become more meaningful, relevant and will attract an audience.
No doubt, when the government adopts this “green” strategy, car users will be seen as the “bad guys”. This is not the intention.
The group that contributes to pollution and the increase in the emission of carbon dioxide, lead and other poisonous gases, must realise that there is an important role for them to play or to contribute to the betterment of the environment and the society.
Unpopular measures
By then, the government must be prepared to take countermeasures to discourage car use, no matter how unpopular. This may include:
doing away with the fuel subsidy.increase car parking charges in the city centre and channel that additional income to facilitate the use of public transport.consider introducing congestion charges to private cars accessing major city centres, including KL, Penang, JB and Melaka.provide free parking at transit stations for park-n-ride car users.approve motorcycle e-hailing for public transport users, especially to access transit stations.approve personal micro-mobility vehicles to be used for 1st mile and last-mile connectivity.provide walkways and space for micro-mobility as they are here to stay.replace big feeder buses for public transport access with mini buses, for better access and connectivity between narrow roads in residential areas and mass transit stations.allocate a portion of road tax revenue back to each state for public transport planning and improvements.Lead by example
Government leaders must be prepared to lead by example and must be seen to be using public transport for some of their journeys and official trips.
If leaders in the UK and Europe take to public transport like ducks take to water, why can’t our local leaders do the same? Why don’t they want to travel with the public to show support and understanding in fighting to lower carbon footprint and climate change?
In the eyes of the public, this sort of move will only make them more popular and electable.
Leaders in Europe ride their bicycles or use the tram to get to work, not because they cannot afford to drive, pay a congestion charge or high parking fees but because it is more sensible and sustainable to do so as they represent the government and its policies.
Leading by example is still the best leadership strategy, whether you’re in politics or otherwise.
By then, perhaps we could also review whether to build more highways or to build more public transport facilities. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

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