He was referring to the latest move by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to increase parking rates of DBKL-owned lots at several business hotspots in the capital by 150% effective today.
Speaking to FMT, Nadzim said public transport in the country was still not up to mark in catering to commuters’ needs.
“Whatever you want to do, you have to be fair to the consumers. People don’t go to town for no good reason and public transport is still not ready to cater to their needs.”
He added that it was different overseas where public transport was always available and efficient.
“Over here, if you want to go from PWTC (Putra World Trade Centre) to Chow Kit, for example, I don’t think you’re going to be able to do so by public transport. If it rains than you’re just going to be stuck wherever you are until it stops raining.”
He urged the higher-ups, including KL Mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz, to see what the situation was like for everyday folk and suggested top officers take public transport to work so they will know “what it is like for the rest of us”.
The Star quoted the KL mayor as saying the move was not aimed at generating profit but was the “only way” to reduce congestion in the city and encourage car-pooling.
However, Public Transport Users Association (4PAM) President Ajit Johl commended the move by DBKL as the NGO supported greater use of public transport.
Although he agreed that public transport was not for everyone, those who worked in office-based jobs, where they would be expected to be in office from 9am to 5pm, should opt for public transport.
On the inconvenience of public transport, Ajit said people could not have the best of both worlds.
“If you expect the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) to stop right next to your house, that’s not going to happen.
“At the same time, people will have an issue if we were to build a station right next to their house anyway.”
The MRT, Ajit stressed, is meant to get a big group of people from point A to point B.
He, however, agreed with Nadzim that the “higher-ups” use public transport as a means to travel to work as well to show the public that public transport was not necessarily meant for the poor.
He also urged other city councils to follow DBKL’s example and increase their parking rates as well.
Ajit said it was good that DBKL had started the initiative and there should be an increment every year.
“People need to understand that a private vehicle is basically an expensive ticket.”