From: azran@leland.Stanford.EDU (Azran Osman Rani)
Subject: Re: MRT in K.L
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 05:10:17 GMT

In article <54759@hydra.gatech.EDU> gt6737b@prism.gatech.EDU (JAAFAR,EMERIZAL AHMAD) writes:
   
>	From what I understand, the MRT is supposedly to reduce the traffic
>problem due to the ever increasing number of automobiles in K.L and its'
>vacinity.  However, is MRT really going to reduce traffic conjestion?
>If you live in K.L, you would probably noticed that the people who are
>using the busses are mostly the 'little people', people who couldn't
>afford to buy a car anyways(asuming that the gov't will still enforce
>high tax rate on inported cars).  Thus, I don't really see the rationale
>behind the move to have MRT service.  I doubt that a lot of my friends
>would rather use the public busses to get around(knowing that some of
>them adore european cars!!!)  Would you use MRT and leave your BMW,
>Mercedes, Porche, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Rolls Royles, or perhaps lambourghini
>at home. Hmmm...most unlikely!

The rationale behind a rapid transit service:

1) If we don't do anything about current traffic problem (specifically intra-
city traffic, the focus of the problem), it is going to exacerbate to a point
where traffic would be so congested that average speeds would be limited to
about 10 Mph. This is because, in the city where there is limited space,
there is only so much you can improve the road conditions. Obviously,
if one believes in long term planning, something must be done to prevent
this situation from happening.

2)People can drive their beloved cars to the outskirts of the inner city 
and there should be sufficient parking facilities here and also an MRT
station. Of course, the MRT has to be a well-planned network so that
one can use it go virtually anywhere within the inner-city. The plan is
not to eliminate the use of cars in general, but to reduce the use of
cars within the inner-city. Take Manhattan for example. You can go virtually
anywhere within Manhattan by subway. Or course, we shouldn't try to
emulate the "quality" of NY subways, but rather, its accessibility.
In Kuala Lumpur, if we just have MRT routes along Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan
Ampang and around the "golden triangle", I am  sure people who work
near these areas would prefer an efficient transportation system that
can take them from parking lots near, say, Jalan Duta or Jalan Gombak, at the
outskirts of KL, and take them quickly to their offices. If the system
saves them time because it is fast and they don't have to worry about
parking, then I'm sure they would prefer such a public transportation
system.




>	Another thing abt this type of public transportation is that it's not
>profitable.  If Dewan Bandaraya or Federal Gov't, don't mind subsidizing it
>no problem then.  Perhaps, somebody with a strong business and commercial
>background should back me up.(  Knowing micro&macro economics or even 
>monetary and banking is not enough.  I need somebody who has a degree in
>business, a PhD would be nice).  A lot of examples where the city's
>subway and/or MRT system is facing severe financial problem.  take Atlanta,
>Philly, Boston(once before I think) for example.(maybe calgary too?)
>	I support PM's call for a better bus systems.  That would be a more
>realistic approach.  However, please bear in mind that this is just one
>person's opinion.  I'm sure K.L city planners already thought about this
>matter and considered it thoroughly(I think!...how can we know...we weren't
>involved...we can merely speculate the rationale behind their decisions).
>(exchanging ideas...that's about it that we can do...hopefully thru exchanging
>these ideas, something good will come out of us...make us more aware of
>certain things...that's abt it that we can do...assuming that's what we want 
>anyways...at least a lot better than cursing at people etc.) 
>
>Well...one can't know all there is to know in this world....
>
>

I guess this means whatever I have written does not count because
I don't know everything and I don't have a PhD. Oh Well.


_______________________________________________________________________________
>|**EMERIZAL AHMAD JAAFAR, ATLANTA.  HOME OF THE GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS**|
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Azran "Goodenbour Power" Osman-Rani