The Chief Minister’s LRT plan is incomprehensible

Out of the 155.2-kilometer-length of the proposed LRT Plan, 93% (or 144.4 km) is bypassing Kuching City, only 7% (or 10.8 km) of the route is passing the congested and densely populated urban area.

My question is, does the YAB Chief Minister really know what LRT is about? The strength of the LRT is to provide alternative means of transport for the public, instead of motorcar, to mobilise in urban areas where traffic congestion and parking space are scarce, so that they do not have to be stuck in the traffic jam.

LRT is mainly used to avoid the traffic congestion, not to connect the towns. The LRT plan that Chief Minister announced consists of three lines, the first of which was to connect the Samarahan and Santubong/Damai Beach area. The second line connects Serian and Bako area. These two lines are in totality 144.4 kilometres at length and are by-passing Kuching city, not passing through Kuching City.

I have only heard of “outer ring Road” being constructed to solve traffic congestion in the urban area and have not heard of “outer ring LRT” being used.

The Chief Minister’s LRT plan is incomprehensible. If the Chief Minister replaces “outer ring LRT” with Outer ring road, it will save us a huge costs of at least 6 Billion to 7 Billion. Instead of constructing “outer ring LRT”, Samarahan LRT Line should be connected directly to the LRT “City Dispersal Line” through Muara Tuang, 7th Mile, 6th Mile, 3rd Mile, where the areas are densely populated and highly traffic congested. This will ease the traffic congestion in the 7th, 6th, 3rd Mile as well.

I really can’t comprehend why Samarahan LRT Line has to go all the way to Santubong and Damai Beach where no traffic congestion problem is in existence.

This is my forth day consecutively in posing daily 2 questions to Chief Minister of Sarawak on LRT. The following are my 2 questions for 2.4.2018:-

1. Why LRT is planned in a way by-passing Kuching City and not passing through Kuching City centre?
2. There are, in total, 54 stations for both “Samarahan-Damai” line and “Serian-Bako” line which are in 144.4km at length. What is the average operating cost for each station?