Three Stands For The MRT Project

Every citizen of Klang Valley has the common discontent about the public transportation system in the city. Buses always arrive late, KTMs never satisfied the increasing demand of the passengers, and yet the LRTs unable to reach those populated locations.

While the expected improvements on those public transportation system have yet to be done, a new mega project, MRT was launched by the government, the project which it was declared to ease the seriousness traffic jam in Klang Valley area. After the announcement was made, it was almost the hottest topic and bringing controversy among the city.

There are three stands, agree and support, disagree and discontent, and the last---objectiveness stand. We can imagine the agreements are more being by the investors, developers, the government, and the property holders, the disagreements are more being by the middle-low incomers while the moderate viewers always are the rational people, higher institute researchers, and the middle-high incomers

Main points are being exposed as the MRT could boost the located properties prices especially the living house. The most substantial potential is hidden in the Sungai Buloh area, the first station of the MRT. When the news came out, many financiers predicted that the location would become the focus point in the future. Meanwhile, the property market had been injected confident and many people are putting their eyes on Sungai Buloh,the golden opportunities to be grabbed.

But is it really can benefit the people? The more concern is who are able to make investment in property market by huge amount to be spent, even the most people are struggling to buy a house? High inflation has brought the worried among the people, and the purchasing powers are decreasing rapidly. Also, the high prices of the houses are causing the anger of the most people where they are not able to bear the installment payment with a long timing(30 years).

Yet,the another burden of the people is a depreciating asset---car. With the such services provided by the current Public Transports, more people are tend to own a car in order to save time. So, do the people agree with the project? Mostly no, as can be seen that the MRT only fits the certain areas not the macro areas.

Question regarding the disagreement, why doesn't the government improve the current public transports but spending huge amount to launch the mega project? Well there is no answer for this question, but the official answer will instead of it---other countries also developed the same system. If it is, why doesn't the government imitate the bus services from other countries? "Indeed we have considered and discussed about it, but the MRT plan is more suitable"...like what my friend always says that, I...I...I got nothing to say ah!

What about the moderate stand or the objectiveness viewers? Their views are: The project brings advantages and disadvantages at the same time. Expectantly it will boost up the economy as there are more shops to be set up, more people to be employed, also including the property market, more houses to be invested and owned. Much more than that, the traffic jam can be resolved and eased. But the overbudget issue always coming out when a mega project is launhing, now it likely to cost RM36.6billion, taxpayers have to pay for it. Also, in the short term time, the living cost may sour as the boosted economy will cause inflation in the country.

By having three types of stands, the government should know how to avoid the stating problems. Furthermore, the purpose must match the benefit of the people, not the small group of the invisible people.