For Immediate Release

Press Statement regarding new LRT projects, from the Association for the Improvement
of Mass-Transit (TRANSIT), Klang Valley

Contact:

Klangvalley.transit@gmail.com
Moaz Yusuf Ahmad (Advisor), 012-248-3330
Muhammad Zulkarnain Hamzah (Spokesperson), 019-280-0608

The Association for the Improvement of Mass-Transit (TRANSIT), Klang Valley, is

watching with great interest the announcements related to the new Kota Damansara-
Cheras line and extensions of the Ampang and Kelana Jaya LRT lines, including those
made in the 2009 Budget Speech.

Transit supports improvement to public transport and mass transit within the Klang
Valley. However, we would like to express our wariness of the details of the expansion,
especially the projected cost of nearly RM35 billion.

Transit believes that additional public transport and mass-transit projects are necessary
for the Klang Valley and Malaysia as a whole. However, these improvements must come
as part of a comprehensive system of improvements. Until now, the government has not
released any clear information about the results of the Klang Valley Transport Study to
the public for clear review. Information is only provided piecemeal, making it a
challenge for the public to provide vital feedback.

Transit believes that the cost of “LRT” construction is rather high at RM250-300 million.
These costs include land acquisition, planning, design, engineering, construction,
operations and maintenance. The direct and indirect costs (including economic costs) of
the delays in planning and building mass-transit should also be noted. Transit therefore
believes that the hourly passenger capacity of “LRT” is relatively low at 9,000-18,000
passengers per direction per hour and it does not justify the costs of construction.

We observe that many cities within ASEAN and throughout the world have managed to
build Bus-Rapid Transit and Rapid Tram lines with similar capacity to the Klang
Valley’s LRT lines, at a fraction (1/3-1/5) of the cost.

Hence, Transit proposes that the government immediately review the planning of “LRT”
projects and consider the use of low-cost, high capacity alternatives such as Bus Rapid
Transit and Rapid Trams to build a comprehensive, well-connected rapid transit network.

The money saved from the RM35 billion that would have been spent on LRT
construction can be used to improve the existing bus and KTM Komuter system, expand
public transport throughout Malaysia, and pay for maintenance and operations for a
decade if not longer.
Transit recognizes that to be successful, mass-transit must be built on a sustainable base
of commuters with provision for future growth. We observe that the Kota Damansara-
KL and KL-Cheras corridors have large pools of existing commuters. In addition, there
are many opportunities for development projects along the proposed route that will bring
additional future commuters, additional revenue to local councils and provide additional
economic growth.

For this reason, we express our support of the proposed use of these corridors for mass
transit. However, we are concerned that the projected capacity of the proposed Kota
Damansara-Cheras line (approximately 300,000 passengers per day) will be inadequate
for the needs of the passengers today as well as in the future. For comparison, we point
out that the existing Kelana Jaya line can carry approximately 160,000 passengers per
day but demand is already more than over capacity during the peak hours.

Transit is highly concerned that the future Kota Damansara-Cheras line may be subject to
the same terribly overcrowded conditions as the Kelana Jaya line within a very short
period of time. We are also concerned that there will be little opportunity for future
expansion of the Kota Damansara-Cheras line because it will be limited by the proposed
5.9 km tunnel from Brickfields through Pasar Rakyat and Bukit Bintang.

For this reason, we propose that the Kota Damansara-Cheras line be designed to “MRT”
standards for passenger capacity, rather than “LRT” standards. We propose a minimum
capacity of 500,000 passengers per day or 25,000 passengers per direction per hour,
expandable to 1 million passengers per day or 50,000-60,000 passengers per direction per
hour over a period of thirty years.

Transit believes that the extension of the Kelana Jaya line to Subang Jaya, USJ, and Putra
Heights is a poor use of resources. The Kelana Jaya line is currently overcapacity during
peak hours and will remain overcapacity even with the new 4-carriage trains that will
arrive in 2011. For this reason, we are concerned with the proposed extension of the
Kelana Jaya line to Subang Jaya, USJ and Putra Heights.

Transit believes that the misplaced focus on the LRT extension has left Subang Jaya and
USJ with poor public transport. We believe that Subang Jaya, USJ, and Putra Heights
would be better served by a major expansion to the capacity and frequency of the KTM
Komuter trains, as well as an internal “Rapid Transit” network serving these communities
and providing links to the main rail network and other communities.

Transit proposes an alternative: the Kelana Jaya line be extended to the existing Lembah
Subang Depot, and further westwards to the Subang Airport and Shah Alam Stadium.
The catchment areas surrounding this corridor are relatively empty, which would allow
development to be planned around public transport. It would be a marked contrast from
our existing practice of building public transport that is “too little” and “too late” –
putting public transport in place grudgingly after the area has already been developed.
A station at the Subang Airport would provide access to a growing employment centre,
while a station at the Shah Alam stadium would be an ideal location for intermodal public
transport and mass-transit, with abundant space for park & ride facilities and future
development.

Regarding the extension of the Ampang Line from Seri Petaling, we believe that the plan
to extend the line to OUG, Kinrara, and Puchong is not the best choice. Transit supports
the construction of a “rapid transit” line from KL to Puchong, along Jalan Klang Lama
and Jalan Puchong. We believe that this is the fastest and most effective way to bring
public transport to these areas.

We believe that the proposed “rapid transit” line would bring about redevelopment of the
Jalan Klang Lama and Jalan Puchong corridors, and reduce traffic congestion without
making it necessary to widen roads.

In addition, we propose that the Ampang line be extended from Seri Petaling to Petaling
Jaya south, with an interchange to the KTM Komuter service. This will provide a link
between the KTM Komuter and LRT service in this area and help complete the network.
An extension of the Ampang line from Sentul Timur to Kepong would provide a similar
connection in the north.

In the long term, a north-south line in Petaling Jaya could be built to complete a “Klang
Valley Circle line” which would provide a real alternative to car travel in the Klang
Valley.

Transit encourages the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Department, the Ministry of
Transport, the Ministry of Finance, and Prasarana to consider alternatives to the proposed
LRT before committing resources to these projects.

We encourage the residents of the Klang Valley to also consider these alternatives to the
expansion of LRT. If we want to build a public transport and mass-transit system that is
connected, comprehensive, reliable, and efficient, we must consider all the choices and
work together.