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In the olden days, not too far, sometimes ago, say 25 years ago, and as a case of thought even in MyKampung, Terasi, Pendam, Simunjan. To travel down to Kuching, I have to take either the motor launch (Kapal Barang) weight probably 100-150 GRT or the express boat. The motor launch may take 24-36 hours, while the express boat 3-4 hours. All have to depend on the water tide situation. That are for the good weather, if not I have to go upriver through Gedong-Serian-Kuching. From My Kampung I have to take a speed boat to Simunjan, and that may take about 2-3 hours, and then board a small slow moving boat to Gedong, an up river Town, which again took another 4-5 hours, before squeezing into the bone shaking bus to Serian (another 1.5 hours) and finally to Kuching (about 1.5-2.00 hours). Just imagine the winding and costly journey to civilization in those days.
(2) The same case if one need to go from Kuala Krai Kelantan to Kuala Balah, in the remote Ulu Kelantan. Today, if one want to go to Belaga, up river Rajang in Kapit, from Kuching: (1) Take a flight to Sibu (worst now both AirAsia and MAS, their efficiency is measure by How Much They Are Late and or Flight Cancel!); (2) Take an Express Boat upriver to Kapit, which is about three hours; (3) If the timing is not correct, need to stay a night in Kapit, then take a high speed speed boat to Belaga, which may take 5-6 hours. If the water is shallow, we wouldn't be able to cross the Pelagus Rapid, then we have to turn back. Surely there is an altnernative, to go through Bintulu, take a drive to Bakun from Bintulu, then go thru the rugged winding and dangerous tmber road. God, how crazy human are. We were once born in haven, yet now due to our stupidity and stuborness, here we are, in life full of hardship!
(3) That is the rural scene. The urban scene have no different. Drop to any City and Town in Malaysia, do we really have good public transport. Forget all those crazy taxi operators in KL, all the others, make us hate our country. Probably, except the Hindustani Ears Deafening Beca in Malacca and 'Teksi' in Kota Bharu, I love them....including their fishy smell!
(4) Good public transport is meant to enable for efficient and cost-effective mobility of people and goods. With good public transport, not only the cost of transportation would be affordable, most important the public have greater accessability to their destination.
(5) Najib had declared the NKRA: National Key Result Area of which I would reterm as
Najib Kena Kerja Rajin Areas (NKRa)! And among them are Public Related Transport Enhancement (Urban and Rural). That is great. I raised my hat to him, and let work hard on these!
(6) Let me relate my experience and observation on the Colorado RTD while I did my MURP in the 1996/98. Colorado is a State in the USA. RTD refers to Regional Transport Department. RTD in fact is established all over the USA.
(9) RTD is a Public Agency. Its own the City (Metro) Buses and Trains. But the operation of these Buses and Trains is privatised. The bus and train services are perfectly integrated. The buses serve the neighborhod (housing areas) while the train connected the key business are in the metro. Thus the bus serve as the collection system, while the train serve as the delivering system to key business and employment centers.
(10) Other installations such as the airport, inter-state bus terminals, inter-state train stations, etc are well linked and serve by the buses.
(11) There are three types of bus srevices offered by RTD (1) One for the general publics except for the bikes (bicycles); (2) General Public but with bikes carrying facilities (limited to three); (3) and Special Handicap buses. All type of buses have the handicap especially the Wheel Chair loading and unloading facility (mostly x-servicement who lost their legs etc. The price of a war monger State!). All types of bus, provide special reserved seat for the handicap. No one is allowed to take this seat even if there is no handicap passenger on board (except the very old and pregnant women, but they have to give way once there is a handicap boarding).
(12) The driver, I would say 99.99% are great 'warrior'. They really have the heart to serve. Very courteous. Helpful. Smart-nice build. Mostly good size. very alert. Well dress. Doesn't smoke. Doesn't smell bad. Well behave. Some look handsome. Middle age to early 50s. They earned US25,000-35,000.00/year, on average. Not really high, still being considered as lower middle income earners, in the US or Colorado standard.
(13) The most interesting part is that the salary of the RTD appointed Operation Company personnel are subject to public review. The salary is not 100% determine by the Company. Any salary and other perks rise had to go for public voting. The salary of the staff are made know to the public and any salary increment had to be justified by Degree of service Efficiency, Annual Collection, and the Inflation Rate. I believe that is the American Way on how to make their entrusted people to be good: get them to be directly responsible to the public and be judge directly by the pubic- a Democrate and Republic Governance Concept.
(14) We can also apply the RTD Public Transport System here. What need to be done is to have good hubs of Places of Stay, Places of Work, and Places of Shopping and Recreation. The Govenment should take away all subsidies: foods, fuel, taxes, etc and used those money to develop more cost-effective Public Transport System both for the passengers and goods. We can if we want. Just don't think too much of Short Term Political Gain. Don't be coward to change!
(15) Probably, Najib one and for most greatest NKRA should be "Courage to not to see thing too much from the political short term gain".
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
27 January, 2010
(2) The same case if one need to go from Kuala Krai Kelantan to Kuala Balah, in the remote Ulu Kelantan. Today, if one want to go to Belaga, up river Rajang in Kapit, from Kuching: (1) Take a flight to Sibu (worst now both AirAsia and MAS, their efficiency is measure by How Much They Are Late and or Flight Cancel!); (2) Take an Express Boat upriver to Kapit, which is about three hours; (3) If the timing is not correct, need to stay a night in Kapit, then take a high speed speed boat to Belaga, which may take 5-6 hours. If the water is shallow, we wouldn't be able to cross the Pelagus Rapid, then we have to turn back. Surely there is an altnernative, to go through Bintulu, take a drive to Bakun from Bintulu, then go thru the rugged winding and dangerous tmber road. God, how crazy human are. We were once born in haven, yet now due to our stupidity and stuborness, here we are, in life full of hardship!
(3) That is the rural scene. The urban scene have no different. Drop to any City and Town in Malaysia, do we really have good public transport. Forget all those crazy taxi operators in KL, all the others, make us hate our country. Probably, except the Hindustani Ears Deafening Beca in Malacca and 'Teksi' in Kota Bharu, I love them....including their fishy smell!
(4) Good public transport is meant to enable for efficient and cost-effective mobility of people and goods. With good public transport, not only the cost of transportation would be affordable, most important the public have greater accessability to their destination.
(5) Najib had declared the NKRA: National Key Result Area of which I would reterm as
Najib Kena Kerja Rajin Areas (NKRa)! And among them are Public Related Transport Enhancement (Urban and Rural). That is great. I raised my hat to him, and let work hard on these!
(6) Let me relate my experience and observation on the Colorado RTD while I did my MURP in the 1996/98. Colorado is a State in the USA. RTD refers to Regional Transport Department. RTD in fact is established all over the USA.
(9) RTD is a Public Agency. Its own the City (Metro) Buses and Trains. But the operation of these Buses and Trains is privatised. The bus and train services are perfectly integrated. The buses serve the neighborhod (housing areas) while the train connected the key business are in the metro. Thus the bus serve as the collection system, while the train serve as the delivering system to key business and employment centers.
(10) Other installations such as the airport, inter-state bus terminals, inter-state train stations, etc are well linked and serve by the buses.
(11) There are three types of bus srevices offered by RTD (1) One for the general publics except for the bikes (bicycles); (2) General Public but with bikes carrying facilities (limited to three); (3) and Special Handicap buses. All type of buses have the handicap especially the Wheel Chair loading and unloading facility (mostly x-servicement who lost their legs etc. The price of a war monger State!). All types of bus, provide special reserved seat for the handicap. No one is allowed to take this seat even if there is no handicap passenger on board (except the very old and pregnant women, but they have to give way once there is a handicap boarding).
(12) The driver, I would say 99.99% are great 'warrior'. They really have the heart to serve. Very courteous. Helpful. Smart-nice build. Mostly good size. very alert. Well dress. Doesn't smoke. Doesn't smell bad. Well behave. Some look handsome. Middle age to early 50s. They earned US25,000-35,000.00/year, on average. Not really high, still being considered as lower middle income earners, in the US or Colorado standard.
(13) The most interesting part is that the salary of the RTD appointed Operation Company personnel are subject to public review. The salary is not 100% determine by the Company. Any salary and other perks rise had to go for public voting. The salary of the staff are made know to the public and any salary increment had to be justified by Degree of service Efficiency, Annual Collection, and the Inflation Rate. I believe that is the American Way on how to make their entrusted people to be good: get them to be directly responsible to the public and be judge directly by the pubic- a Democrate and Republic Governance Concept.
(14) We can also apply the RTD Public Transport System here. What need to be done is to have good hubs of Places of Stay, Places of Work, and Places of Shopping and Recreation. The Govenment should take away all subsidies: foods, fuel, taxes, etc and used those money to develop more cost-effective Public Transport System both for the passengers and goods. We can if we want. Just don't think too much of Short Term Political Gain. Don't be coward to change!
(15) Probably, Najib one and for most greatest NKRA should be "Courage to not to see thing too much from the political short term gain".
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
27 January, 2010
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