RapidKL must explain fare hike to passengers before implementing it unilaterally

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Media Statement
by Lau Weng San
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(Petaling Jaya, Monday): DAP Selangor is shocked to be informed by passengers that RapidKL is imposing a hike of RM10 on its Monthly Travel Card (MTC) with effective from 1st November 2007.

The price difference before and after 1st November is reproduced below:

Old Cost (before 1 November 2007)
MTC - Integrated - RM125
MTC - Rail - RM90
MTC - Bus - RM80

New Cost (after 1 November 2007)
MTC - Integrated - RM135
MTC - Rail - RM100
MTC - Bus - RM80

DAP Selangor would like to express our disappointment with RapidKL for giving people no information about this price increase.

RapidKL should justify the reason behind the price increase before taking it to the public as they are, after all, a government agency, which is 100% owned by Ministry of Finance Inc.

In addition, responsibility for approving fare increases lies with the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board.

The fare hike is also not matching with the service quality of RapidKL, especially its LRT system which was the talk of the city last year when there was a series of massive breakdowns and mishaps which causes much inconvenience to passengers, many of whom are office workers which depend on the LRT to travel back and forth in order to save time and petrol.

Several promises from the government that reports and investigations into these breakdowns and mishaps will be made public are also not materialized.

When the public and passengers are not fully informed the reason of the hike, and when people are trying to cope with rising cost of livings, it is most deplorable for RapidKL to unilaterally announce the fare hike.

(5/11/2007)