Check out this Rapid Penang mini-bus – instead of rushing to start the RM17bn elevated light rail project that risk turning into a loss-making venture.
At a time when the nation is saddled with so much debt, do we really want to spend even more for a rigid, inflexible pricey elevated light rail? Such a system would burden the nation with even more debt.
And what happens when the ridership projections are not met? Who do you think will bear the burden of the debt and annual deficits? The federal government? The state government? Or you, through higher fares, taxes and other charges….
Wouldn’t it be better to focus on upgrading the bus network with more buses, bus lanes, first-and-last-mile connectivity, a reliable frequency….
(Thanks to Luca for the heads-up on the video.)
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Penang, particularly George Town, faces significant pedestrian infrastructure challenges despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site. While some areas like Batu Ferringhi have seen improvements, many streets lack proper sidewalks or have them obstructed by parked vehicles, hawker stalls, and other obstacles. This forces pedestrians to walk on roads, creating safety hazards and hindering walkability.
Under Malaysian laws, pedestrians have the right of way at zebra crossings, and vehicles must yield to them.
However most car drivers think otherwise as their ego is as big as their car?
Walking in KL is a chore. Pedestrian walkways vanish into traffic. Flyovers slice through communities. Sidewalks and bus stops double as parking lots and garbage dumps. Crosswalks fade into oblivion. Roads keep expanding, despite evidence this only worsens congestion. The car doesn’t just dominate mobility. It dominates the imagination. Public space isn’t designed to be enjoyed, but endured.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2025/07/06/kl-moving-fast-but-going-nowhere
Many walkways are narrow or nonexistent, particularly in older areas of George Town.
Some walkways are not properly connected, creating gaps and making it difficult for pedestrians to navigate.
Open drains and uneven surfaces also contribute to the problem.
Motorcycles are frequently parked on sidewalks, blocking pedestrian access.
Street vendors and businesses often encroach on walkways, leaving little space for pedestrians.
The Penang Island City Council is educating motorists to treat pedestrians as “kings” but has received little impact so far.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=6QKd1tUegGY
It’s an obstacle course if one were to walk on sidewalks. Indiscriminate parking of bicycles, motorbikes and retailers, motor mechanics, traders all encroaching into the sidewalks, broken tiles, uneven surfaces notwithstanding falling into sinkholes making walking a sadomasochistic activity.
“significant pedestrian infrastructure challenges” means that most of us (non-VVIPs) cannot use the roads to walk safely.
Wider roads at the expense of walkways for pedestrians to accommodate big cars like Alphard!
Are you a pedestrian or a car driver?
Care to elaborate?
Walkways are usually not well-maintained, and the network of pedestrian paths can be fragmented and obstructed, making it difficult and dangerous to navigate and creating a less desirable walking experience. There is a tendency to prioritize vehicular traffic over pedestrians, which can create a sense of insecurity for those on foot.
Anil and his Penang Forum buddies should try out this Rapid Kummute. Take a video to show your experience.
Penang mee jawa at just RM2.50 a plate at Air Itam – cook with a sincere heart. The pursuit of happiness, not profit.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/06/15/the-pursuit-of-happiness-not-profit
No need for hawkers to charge high price to make money. Hopefully the coming e-invoice system will ensure that this who make lots of money would pay the necessary income tax.
Ernest Zacharevic speaks out against art exploitation in Southeast Asia in a bold new exhibition, We Need To Talk. From 5 July – 31 August in George Town, Penang, it explores how corporations routinely lift and rebrand artwork for commercial gain, leaving the true creators unpaid and uncredited. The exhibition is inspired by Zacharevic’s own legal battle over repeated unauthorised reproductions of his George Town murals, including the famous Kids on Bicycle.
https://www.cultprint.co/news/we-need-to-talk-by-ernest-zacharevic/?v=6864f389d987
Learn more about the exhibition at cultprint.co/exhibition/we-need-to-talk
Malaysia boosts first- and last-mile connectivity for commuters through apps.
The van service is one of the innovative solutions launched by the Malaysian government to bridge gaps in the public transit network.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hail-a-van-malaysia-boosts-first-and-last-mile-connectivity-for-commuters-through-apps
LRT Mutiara line is paid by the Federal government. If you don’t want it, Kelantan will merrily take the funding to upgrade east-west highway with street lights after the recent bus tragedy.
Paid by federal government, but rakyat ultimately pays for it through more taxes, loan servicing etc
The Penang government is still awaiting the Notice to Proceed or official notice to commence physical work on the Mutiara Line light rail transit project.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said, although the official notice from the Transport Ministry has yet to be issued, several preliminary works had already been carried out on site, including soil investigations, land acquisition and compensation negotiations with the involved landowners.
The 4th edition of PenangLang Community Day 2025 (PCD 2025) returns with an exciting array of programmes and activities, promising a vibrant celebration of heritage, culture, and community spirit.
Held in conjunction with George Town World Heritage Day, the two-day event will take place on June 28 and 29 at Sunshine Central, Air Itam, running from 10am to 10pm.
Why Malaysia must prioritise traditional buses over Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT)
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2025/06/15/why-malaysia-must-prioritise-traditional-buses-over-drt
Pouring money into Demand-Responsive Transit risks weakening Malaysia’s core bus system. Malaysia must resist the allure of quick tech-fixes and reinvest in the basics: high-frequency, well-connected, and dependable bus services, and in the long run, better-planned cities.
Yes this is true, it should not be done at the expense of weakening the core bus services. If anything, these demand-responsive buses could provide the first-and-last-mile connectivity that is currently missing.