Malaysia's public transport usage just at 20%, says Loke

THE percentage of public transport usage in Malaysia has only reached 20% to date, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said the figure remains below the 40% target outlined in the National Transport Policy 2019–2030.
'The national transport policy from 2019 to 2030 is already in place. So, our challenge is how to ensure that this policy is realised according to its intended goals,' he said when met after the Ilmuwan Malaysia Madani Siri 6 forum at Menara Prasarana recently.
The forum discussed the topic 'Transportation for the People: Balancing Affordability, Quality and Sustainability of Public Transport', chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In addition to Loke, other panel members were President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah and Universiti Putra Malaysia Vice-Chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah.
Commenting further, Loke said the implementation of the 'Road to Rail' initiative is currently being carried out in phases and is expected to have a significant impact on the country's logistics sector.
'We are actively promoting the use of rail. That's why one of our focus initiatives is 'Road to Rail' , to encourage more usage of railways for the transportation of containers and goods,' he said.
'When the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is completed, it will boost the use of rail to transport goods and containers to the East Coast, thereby reducing reliance on road transport such as lorries,' he added. ‒ June 5, 2025
Main image: The Malaysian Reserve/Muhd Amin Naharul

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Star

8 hours ago

• The Star

Electric Train Service set to boost Johor tourism

JOHOR BARU: The Electric Train Service (ETS) that is expected to be fully completed by August will significantly boost the tourism industry here, says Tourism Malaysia. Deputy Director General (Promotion) Datuk Musa Yusof said the timing of the ETS completion aligns well with preparations for Visit Malaysia 2026. "The ETS will connect Johor Baru directly to Kuala Lumpur, which will strengthen the industry, especially in terms of tourist movement. "It will allow visitors to travel between these two places in about three and a half hours, enabling them to visit more locations. "If they stay the night for cultural events such as this, it will also help increase hotel occupancy rates," he said. He added that the spillover effects of the ETS, which has reached Segamat since March, are already visible. "We can already see Segamat benefiting from this, especially during the durian season," he said at a press conference after officiating a Gawai and Kaamatan Festival celebration at a hotel here. In March, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that two sets of ETS trains from China were expected to arrive in April and would be operational by August after undergoing necessary trials. He mentioned that the trains, along with another eight sets, are being assembled in Batu Gajah, Perak, and will complete the southern route of the line, following the start of the ETS service at Segamat station in Johor on 15 March. 'We don't have to wait for all 10 sets to start operating; we will use whichever set is completed. "For Gemas to Johor Baru, there will be three phases - Phase 1 to Segamat, Phase 2 to Kluang, and Phase 3 to JB Sentral,' he said after travelling on the ETS from KL Sentral to Segamat station in March.

The Sun

9 hours ago

• The Sun

Bentong ginger to boost Kota Tinggi economy

KOTA TINGGI: Bentong ginger has the potential to be the country's strategic crop with Kota Tinggi as the primary hub for its production and processing, said Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He noted that the move could help generate sustainable income for the people, secure the country's ginger supply, and reduce dependence on imported ginger. 'We import about 80 per cent of ginger for domestic use. We need to secure ginger supplies by cultivating and sourcing the crop locally. 'This effort not only provides (economic) opportunities for the people but also helps to curb the outflow of funds from the country,' he told reporters after officiating the ceremony to harvest young Bentong ginger in Kampung Gembut, Tanjung Sedili, near here today. He said the ginger cultivation programme, an initiative involving Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and residents, aims to empower the rural economy through high-value agricultural projects, ultimately positioning Kota Tinggi as a national food valley. Mohamed Khaled said the Bentong ginger cultivation initiative in the area has shown promising results, delivering high returns in a short period, making it one of the most viable cash crops. 'In terms of market price, one kilogramme can fetch up to RM40, and each plant can yield about two kilogrammes. Earlier during the programme, we saw 300 plants, and the harvest cycle is every six months. ...with 300 plants, participants in this programme could earn about RM24,000 over six months. 'This means they can potentially earn RM4,000 a month. The cultivation and care process is simple, with guidance provided by the university. Mature ginger can go for up to RM60 per kilogramme,' he said. Elaborating, he said that by setting up cooperatives and participating in the downstream industry, residents can generate extra income by processing ginger-based products. He also announced his long-term plans to transform Kota Tinggi into the country's primary hub for the ginger industry, covering cultivation, value chains, and downstream products. He urged the community not to rely solely on government aid but instead to actively participate in agricultural projects to ensure long-term sustainability and success. Meanwhile, Kota Tinggi Timur Area Farmers Organisation chairman Hashim Muhammad said the project has the potential to create more job opportunities, generate additional income for farmers, and uplift the rural community. He said today's event marked the rural community's commitment to exploring high-value crop cultivation, expressing hope that the initiative can be expanded across the entire Kota Tinggi parliamentary constituency.

Barnama

10 hours ago

• Barnama

Bentong Ginger To Boost Kota Tinggi Economy

GENERAL KOTA TINGGI, June 21 (Bernama) -- Bentong ginger has the potential to be the country's strategic crop with Kota Tinggi as the primary hub for its production and processing, said Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He noted that the move could help generate sustainable income for the people, secure the country's ginger supply, and reduce dependence on imported ginger. 'We import about 80 per cent of ginger for domestic use. We need to secure ginger supplies by cultivating and sourcing the crop locally. 'This effort not only provides (economic) opportunities for the people but also helps to curb the outflow of funds from the country,' he told reporters after officiating the ceremony to harvest young Bentong ginger in Kampung Gembut, Tanjung Sedili, near here today. He said the ginger cultivation programme, an initiative involving Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and residents, aims to empower the rural economy through high-value agricultural projects, ultimately positioning Kota Tinggi as a national food valley. Mohamed Khaled said the Bentong ginger cultivation initiative in the area has shown promising results, delivering high returns in a short period, making it one of the most viable cash crops. 'In terms of market price, one kilogramme can fetch up to RM40, and each plant can yield about two kilogrammes. Earlier during the programme, we saw 300 plants, and the harvest cycle is every six months. ...with 300 plants, participants in this programme could earn about RM24,000 over six months. 'This means they can potentially earn RM4,000 a month. The cultivation and care process is simple, with guidance provided by the university. Mature ginger can go for up to RM60 per kilogramme,' he said. Elaborating, he said that by setting up cooperatives and participating in the downstream industry, residents can generate extra income by processing ginger-based products. He also announced his long-term plans to transform Kota Tinggi into the country's primary hub for the ginger industry, covering cultivation, value chains, and downstream products.