Mrt1 Foreshadows Low Ridership For Mrt3 Warns Mp

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An MP who is pushing for Parliament’s scrutiny of the MRT3 project has warned that the new rail line will likely suffer low ridership levels similar to MRT1.
In a statement today, Tanjung Malim MP Chang Lih Kang said low ridership will lead to the rail project being unsustainable and ultimately the cost of the project will be borne by taxpayers.
Chang said MRT1 was projected to have an average daily ridership of 442,000 during its first year.
In 2019 - the third year of MRT1's operations - it saw an average daily ridership of 204,821. This has been the peak, but only 46 percent of the first-year target.
"Ridership is the key indicator to justify spending. No doubt that public transport is the way for more sustainable and efficient commutes. However, these costly projects ought to be justified by sustainable ridership.
"Billions spent by the government to sustain the system will be in vain if it can’t attract people to shift mode.
"Eventually, the rakyat has to foot the bill for the hefty annual operational losses," he said.
Chang Lih KangThe Finance Ministry has committed RM50 billion to the MRT3 project and the tender process began in April.
Connects to existing lines
Conceived during the Najib Abdul Razak administration, MRT3 is a circle line that surrounds Kuala Lumpur and will connect most of the existing rail lines in the Klang Valley.
Chang said further spending on public transit required proper scrutiny by Parliament because previous government goals of achieving a public transport modal share of 40 percent by 2020 has not been met.
Instead, the 12th Malaysia Plan had reported that the public transport modal share was only 21 percent in 2018.
Map of MRT3In contrast, London has a public transport modal share of 44 percent in 2020.
"With close to RM115 billion of government guarantee loan raised by Danainfra and Prasarana to build and operate these infrastructures, there is hardly any significant impact or improvement on the usage of public transport," he said.
Combined, Danainfra and Prasarana - both government-owned companies - form 60.3 percent of the off-budget government guarantees. - Mkini

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