Nurul: Increase public transport before hiking parking fee
Lembah Pantai MP also questions irrationality of higher parking rates with old machines accepting only coins, forcing drivers to carry ‘bags of coins’ with them.
KUALA LUMPUR: Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah has sent a memorandum, along with the signatures of 800 residents from the Klang Valley, requesting an increase in public transport capacity before a decision is made on the increase of parking rates in the city.
Speaking at a press conference outside the DBKL headquarters here today, Nurul said most of the signatures came from Bangsar, but that many had also signed an online petition.
She revealed that according to a report by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), as of December 2015, there were 11 bus operators with 1,500 buses making the current passenger capacity somewhere around a million a day.
“It’s not that we are not supportive of the initiative to increase public transport usage, but a holistic approach is needed as well as engagement with the stakeholders, including members of parliament,” she said.
“It is not fair to further punish the residents, especially after the increase in public transport fares made last year, unless in the end you address the connectivity and increase the capacity of public transport in the city.”
She also pointed out that it was “irrational” to expect people to pay the high rate when the parking machines only accepted coins.
“I had to bring two bags of coins with me today so I could pay for parking. If you’re going to make the parking so expensive, at least make the machines more efficient to accept notes.”
Nurul said more signatures could have been collected if there was more time to do so.
“We are at the mercy of the minister (Tengku Adnan). If he says that a decision will be made in two days, then we have to follow his deadline.”
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According to reports, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor said yesterday that the new parking rates in areas neighbouring the Central Business District (CBD) would be announced after a decision by the Cabinet in two to three days.