Detailed study for LRT system in KK: Mayor
Published on: Friday, June 09, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: The Government is looking into a study for a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in the city, said Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai (pic)."However, there must be effectiveness and economic returns. If it is not economically viable, I feel the project would not have any benefit also."So let the Federal Government through the Economic Planning Unit do a detailed study first to deliberate not only for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) but also the LRT. This (study) will commence soon.
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"Then we will look at the reports and evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the LRT in the city." Yeo said this to the media, Thursday, in reply to the statement by Inanam Assemblyman Dr Roland Chia that the city needs LRT service.He noted that Chia's statement on the LRT was only Chia's personal opinion as there was also a need to take into account various other evaluation factors besides population size.On April 11, Chia insisted that Kota Kinabalu needs to have LRT or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) service to overcome the city's traffic congestion, and that it did not have to wait until the city's population reaches one million.
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He noted that previously, the Government had said there was no plan to provide the LRT or MRT service to the public as the population of Kota Kinabalu had not reached one million.Chia said many other cities such as in Australia and the United Kingdom provided the service to the public on the basis of need, not on population size.
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Chia thus urged the State Government to do the same and proposed a review of the Railway Ordinance so that legislation could be widened to incorporate the LRT which is needed to overcome traffic congestion.On May 23, it was also reported that neighbouring Sarawak was looking to finance its own LRT project with services linking Kuching, Samarahan and Serian without direct funding from the Federal Government. Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg said the full public transport system covering the three divisions will be an integrated one, with the LRT as the core and complemented by the BRT, taxis and cars. He said the LRT will be developed in stages to serve as triggers for the development and growth of Kuching and its surrounding areas.Meanwhile, Yeo also took the opportunity to distribute bubur lambuk to the public with the Bubur Lambuk with Maggi Programme, organised by City Hall with Nestle Products, at City Hall. He noted that there were seven new Ramadan Bazaar sites in Kota Kinabalu this year at Hospital Queen Elizabeth 1, Terminal 1 Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), Terminal Bas Utara Inanam and Wisma Merdeka.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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