Malaysia's Affordable Public Transportation Will Not Be So Cheap Anymore
Bus and taxi operators will be raising their fares soon.
By Darian Goh — 03 Nov 2014, 03:19 PM — Updated about 10 years ago
The Land Public Transportation Commission Has Okayed A Move To Increase Public Transportation Fares
The Land Public Transportation Commission Has Okayed A Move To Increase Public Transportation Fares
Image via blogspot.comThe Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has recommended a rise in public transport charges nationwide. SPAD chairman Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Albar said the recommendation was based on a study it had made, following requests from industry players.
thestar.com.myThe Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has recommended that the Transport Ministry increase public transport charges nationwide. A national daily reported that SPAD chairman Syed Hamid Albar said the decision was now in the ministry’s hands after launching Johor’s first Safe and Responsible Truckers Day.
Bus And Taxi Operators Has Been Asking For An Increase In Fares By 30% To 40%. The Last Fare Hike Was Implemented In 2008.
Bus And Taxi Operators Has Been Asking For An Increase In Fares By 30% To 40%. The Last Fare Hike Was Done In 2008.
Image via cbt.com.myBus and taxi operators had appealed to the government to allow them to raise their fares by up to 30% to 40%, a request they said was justified as operational costs had increased but their fare had not been changed since 2008. Syed Hamid said that the commission sympathised with the operators and agreed that the increase was justified due to rising operational costs.
“The approval to revise the fares is in the ministry’s hands,” he told a press conference after launching Johor’s first Safe and Responsible Truckers Day here yesterday. Syed Hamid said a rise in fares was justified. He added that the commission was sympathetic towards the difficulties faced by the relevant companies as a result of the increase in operational costs.“We understand their plight and also agree that there is a need for an increase in fares, including for taxis ferrying passengers into Singapore.”
thestar.com.myThe Recommendation Includes Taxi Operators Ferrying Passengers To Singapore, Who Now Face Losses Due To The Recent Toll Hike
The Recommendation Includes Taxi Operators Ferrying Passengers To Singapore, Who Now Face Losses Due To The Recent Toll Hike
Image via guidegecko.comHe said that the recommendation included taxis ferrying passengers to Singapore as it was reported earlier that over 200 such taxi drivers were expected to face losses following toll hikes at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex and the Woodlands checkpoint in Singapore. On this matter, Syed Hamid urged the relevant parties, in particular the Johor Baru-Singapore Taxi Association, to be patient as the fare increase would require the consent of the Singapore government.
Syed Hamid urged the companies, especially the Johor Baru-Singapore Taxi Association to be patient, as an increase in such fares would also require the cooperation of the Singapore Government. It was earlier reported that over 200 taxi drivers who ferry passengers into Singapore were expected to face losses following toll hikes at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex and the Woodlands checkpoint.
thestar.com.myReacting To The News Of A Possible Fare Increase, Many Consumer Groups Are Outraged As The Service Provided Is Not Up To Par
Reacting To The News Of A Possible Fare Increase, Many Consumer Groups Are Outraged As The Service Provided Is Not Up To Par
Image via TraproyalConsumer groups are up in arms over the Land Public Transport Commission’s (SPAD) proposal for a nationwide increase in public transport fares. Fomca supreme council member Ahmad Othman said a fare increase plus the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to be imposed in April next year will be a “double whammy” for lower income commuters who rely on public transport.
thestar.com.myAhmad, who is also president of the Consumers Protection Association of Kelantan, said it was unfair to raise fares without improving the reach, frequency and quality of bus services. “Service is a problem not just in the big cities but also in parts of Kelantan where commuters have to sometimes wait for two hours for a bus to get from one town to another,” he said.
thestar.com.my“Any increase in fares must be properly justified and it must be fair to consumers,” said Nadzim. He said a rise in public transport fares could also trigger a rise in prices of other goods and services in a “domino effect”.
thestar.com.myOn A Separate Note, SPAD chairman Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Albar Has Stated That Foreigners Should Not Be Allowed In The Transportation Industry
On A Separate Note, SPAD chairman Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Albar Has Stated That Foreigners Should Not Be Allowed In The Transportation Industry
Image via freemalaysiatoday.comOn another matter, Syed Hamid said foreigners should not be allowed to tap into the transportation industry despite the shortage of lorry and bus drivers. “If such jobs were offered to foreigners, it will not only reduce job opportunities for locals, but also invite unwanted social problems in the country.
thestar.com.myOn another matter, Syed Hamid disapproved the use of foreign labour to counter the shortage of lorry and bus drivers as this would reduce the jobs available to locals and “invite unwanted social problems into the country”. He added, “As it is now, we have over three million illegal foreign workers and I think we should not contribute to an increase in this figure.”