Something academic.

this is my academic essay.
a bit boring.
but.
hey, it costs me a fortune!
n nak mencapub la sket.
=P
besides i am all out for an efficient Singapore-like public transportation.

Government should focuses on improving the public transportation system.

I remembered vividly how exciting it was to step inside the spanking new KTM Komuter Station back in my home town in Subang Jaya for the first time. To be exact, it was on the 14th of August, 1995. Then, in less than 10 minutes, the new EMU (Electrical Multiple Unit) came rolling to my view. Astonished, my family and I got in. The train was advanced and modern enough to stun me and my family too, I guess. Throughout my flawless journey from Subang Jaya to Kuala Lumpur vice versa, though I was too small to understand what is going around during that particular moment, I can see that everyone there, at that time, were beaming with pride.
It was indeed a mile-stone achievement for our country to have its first modern mass rail transit. Couple of years later, the STAR and PUTRA light rail transit began its services, complementing the KTM Komuter service in transporting city-dwellers to move around the city seamlessly. In early 2006, the Rapid KL bus service was introduced, followed by the introduction of Rapid Penang bus service the year after. Nevertheless, in spite of all this, traffic is still on its worst. People still groan on the higher price of fuel, when actually taking a public transport would be a more viable option, besides throwing constant critics on the global warming issue. Why is it so? The answer is simple. Almost nothing has been done to improve the existing system. The government has been said to show a lack of interest in expanding the public transportation, and this has been reflected in their decision-making. Complaints with regard to the higher cost of fuel, gridlocks in the cities and the deteriorating level of air quality are supposed to be a matter of the bygone should the government focuses on improving and expanding the existing pathetic public transportation, bringing it back to its former glory where Malaysians would again strutting their world-class public transportation in pride besides reaping benefits in so many ways.
As been said earlier, if the government expands and improves the current system, many would reap it benefits; the government and public included. The latest unprecedented fuel hike has resulted many to switch to other alternatives rather than driving their own private vehicle to get from one point to another. This includes taking the public transportation which seems to be more feasible compared to car pooling. Nonetheless, the current pathetic state of our public transportation system may force them to go back to square one; driving around with their private vehicle in time where a ringgit of petrol could only fill a quarter of a 1500 ml bottle. But of course no one would ever choose to wake up in the wee hours of morning just to make sure that they have ample time to get to work. Besides, it will be a once in a blue moon affair to catch on-time transports especially when you are dealing with KTM Komuter or Rapid KL buses. In developed countries like Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Japan, a cheaper daily, weekly and monthly common ticketing system that integrates all modes of transportation is used. With approximately RM 100 per month, you can use any mode of transportation to any destination in a particular system as many times as you desire, with the Hong Kong’s Octopus MTR ticketing system being a fine example. If we emulate such systematic system to ours, many people will sigh in relief for their daily fuel need will be drastically reduced. Why is it so? The math is simple. Cheaper option due to the fix and low pricing plus expansive and efficient public transportation would be the preferred choice rather than having to drive and forking handsome amount of cash to support the ever increasing fuel price. Should the government consider the suggestion of expanding and improving the system, one should expect to be wafted from one place to another without any hassle in the near future.
For the government, the decrease in the usage of private vehicle means that fewer subsidies on fuel and road maintenance would be distributed. Subsidizing public transportation costs less than the latter hence helping to save billions of national treasury. The American Public Transportation Association concludes that public transportation provides a higher flow of mass movement besides requiring less maintenance compared to building roadways. (Cambridge Systematic Inc., 2002)
Having an expansive, efficient, comfortable and cheap public transportation system would eventually ease the current heavy and chaotic traffic situation in any major urban areas in the country. Gridlocks are norm in big cities where millions of vehicles, mostly private, would cram every available road in big cities especially the one leading to various suburban areas during peak hours. No one would want oneself to be caught in the middle of a traffic jam as it would bring more harm rather than good. Stress and restlessness will usually occur during this period of time too. Not only that, traffic jams would cause mass movement to slow down thus decreasing the economic productivity. Northern Corridor Economic Region’s development blueprint states that the public transportation plays a vital role in transporting mass movements and it is essential to have an improved and efficient public transportation that could minimize the role of private transportation in lieu to reduce heavy traffic in major urban areas. (Sime Darby Corporation, 2007, p. 83) Should this is being endorsed and implemented, for sure; more people would end up choosing public transportation as their main mode of transport. Reliance on private vehicles will be decreased and this will eventually help clearing the current traffic clog.
Nevertheless, building more and more roadways, expressways, elevated road et cetera has always been the preferred choice of in combating traffic woes in the country. No doubt that with the existence of such expressways, the traffic situation has improved but this might be just for a short period of time. In time to come, the number of population will swell so as the number of private owned vehicle. Logically, the newly built expressways that before this acted as an alternative route will be filled, too. This will sensibly trigger the construction of more and more expressways and ring roads in order to cope with the ever increasing number of on road vehicles. This means more land are required and houses or building to be destroyed, compared to expanding and maintaining the public transportation system which requires less cash (Cambridge Systematic Inc., 2002) for the government just need to extend or create new bus and train lines and buy additional fleet of train or buses besides doing some overhauling to the older fleet. New lines penetrating densely populated area plus efficient, fast, comfortable, hassle-free and regular services will definitely attract more passengers using public transportation thus reducing the number of private vehicles on the road, unclogging strangled roadways across the nation.
The increase of the usage of public transportation among the public will create a greener world. How is this possible? As stated earlier, more passengers using public transport would mean less on road private vehicles. According to an article in the Centre for Transportation Excellent website, the decreasing number of private vehicle by mean of higher usage of public transportation helps encourage cleaner air for it shuns emission of excessive dangerous particulates; lesser noxious wastes released by public transports compared to private vehicles, which leads into creation of severe smog and various respiratory illnesses. (The Centre for Transportation Excellence, July 23 2008) Cities would be cleaner with the use of more public transportation. Cleaner cities would definitely lead into a more productive and healthy community, thus increasing the quality of life which will indirectly increase the competitiveness of our country too.
Not only that, the decrease on the usage of private vehicles would also mean that reliance on natural resources for fuel such as petrol and diesel will be reduced. The TIME magazine reports that taking a bus decreases the number of global greenhouse-emission that saves billions of fuel consumption. Majority of trips in the western world are still dominated by the usage of private vehicles due to the large presence of public transportation only in the major urban areas. Nonetheless, a choice of expanding and improving the current bus system to a comprehensive one such as the Bus Rapid Transit, the BRT which uses a hybrid technology would be a promising option. (“The global warming survival guide: 51 ways you can do to make difference,” 2007, p. 43) If only the government considers to expand not only the current bus system, but also the major rail transit lines in the country, dreams by fellow Malaysians for a greener, cleaner and more productive Malaysia will soon become a reality.
The vision 2020 outlined by the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is now far from being distant. One of the key to be recognized as a developed nation is to have a modern, extensive, reliable and efficient transportation system so that everyone will enjoy it benefits. Not only that, according to Moaz, people now have finally managed to grasp the idea that greater use of public transportation would mean better quality of life besides having constructive impact to our towns, cities and communities. (Moaz, 2008, p. 89) Therefore, the government should play their role in expanding and constantly improving the current public transportation while managing and maintaining it relentlessly to make sure that a cohesive and constructive community and country could soon be developed as to make Malaysia on par with other developed nations.