BarisaDAP reiterates its stand that until and unless public transport rider-ship exceeds 70 percent, Kuala Lumpur is not prepared for congestion pricing. It’s just toll by another name. The proposal for congestion pricing also runs against previous policy of urban rejuvenation or “bringing the residents back into city centre” and likely to result in serious social and economic impact

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Joint Statement 
by Dr. Tan Seng Giaw, Tan Kok Wai, Fong Kui Lun, Teresa Kok and Ean Yong Hian Wah    
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(Petaling Jaya, Monday): It’s a shock to DAP and drivers in Selangor and KL that the City Hall of Kuala Lumpur is still adamant about going against public sentiments with its plan to implement congestion pricing in KL.  

Major dailies reported on Sunday 23 September 2007 that the City Hall has submitted a proposal to the Cabinet for the policy to be implemented next year.  

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan told Malaysian reporters accompanying his delegation to Stockholm that he “expected Malaysians to respond like the Swedes to the fee as it would reduce congestion on specific roads.” 

DAP reiterates its stand that until and unless public transport rider-ship exceeds 70 percent, Kuala Lumpur is not prepared for congestion pricing. It’s just toll by another name. The proposal for congestion pricing also runs against previous policy of urban rejuvenation or “bringing the residents back into city centre” and likely to result in serious social and economic impact.

Placing ‘congestion pricing’ on motorists in Kuala Lumpur with no adequate alternative means of transportation is merely collecting toll by another name that would not resolve congestion in the city centre but simply make life harder for the people of Klang Valley. 

The proposal affects not only residents in Kuala Lumpur but also the 2 million commuters from neighbouring Selangor.  

It is mind boggling that the City Hall bothers to entertain such idea like congestion pricing when there is no adequate and efficient public transport as alternative to private vehicles.  

Isn’t this classic example of putting the cart before the horse? Engaging in quick-fix like congestion pricing would not resolves jams in KL as motorists had no credible and workable alternative.

DAP FT and DAP Selangor oppose any measure of congestion pricing until such day when 70 percent or more people in KL utilize public transport system 

It was pointed out Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi in his 2005 Budget Speech that the public transport utilization rate in Klang Valley has declined from 34 percent in 1985 to 16 percent in 2004.  

The decline in usage of public transport partly reflects increased car ownership but also reflects the sorry state of public transport in Kuala Lumpur. Driving is not a luxurious pursuit but an unfortunate necessity in KL. It’s just so difficult to move around in the city without a car.

The proposal is effectively undermining the stated policy of previous Structural Plan and local plans, as well as that of City Hall under the administration of the two former Mayors, which is to encourage urban rejuvenation or “bringing the residents back into city centre.” The implementation of congestion pricing would surely deter people from staying in the city centre.

To impose congestion pricing on motorists would not reduce congestion in KL. It would burden the public with a form of toll or highway robbery.

The socio-economic impact of such policy is grave as it would change the pattern of people mobility and may result in making the city centre a ghost town with no worker wishing to work there and no shopper to shop there. 

Entertaining the idea of congestion pricing at this very premature time reflects the City Hall’s poor understanding of policy choices. We call on the Mayor to stop all these nonsense and work towards creating an efficient public transport sector to ease traffic of private vehicles in the city.  

(24/9/2007)