KLIG to grow LRT services


BY JOSE BARROCK

KL Infrastructure Group Bhd (KLIG), operator of the KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd, is in talks to buy Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik Sdn Bhd (Putra) and Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan (STAR) from the government.

Sources say the group has made an offer for the two LRT service providers but has yet to get a response from the government. Another source, however, says such plans by KLIG are simply in the exploratory stage.

“The talks are still at an early stage and the details are only now being negotiated,” says an industry source.

A market observer says this may be part of a long-term plan to merge all three LRTs and KLIG is likely to satisfy the purchase via the issuance of shares.

The RM1.2 billion KL Monorail is KLIG's flagship project and it holds a 40-year concession.

Several months back, KLIG executive director Al-Jeffery Ibrahim had said there will eventually be plans to connect the KL Monorail stations to the STAR and Putra stations in line with integrating the rail networks.


A few analysts say KL Monorail, which was launched only recently, may have a spark of hope given that it's relatively smaller. KL Monorail can ferry up to 85,000 passengers per day.
An industry observer says the interest by KLIG partly stems from the fact that the government is planning to introduce laws curbing single motor vehicle use in the city centre to address the issue of traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur. This, it is perceived will lead to more passengers using LRT services.

It has become particularly compelling for KLIG to look for new growth opportunities particularly given that several potential rail building and development projects abroad namely in Dubai and Indonesia have started to wane.

Both the two LRT systems, Putraline and Starline, come with excess baggage, carrying a combined debt of some RM6 billion. Their financial woes are largely due to high cost of borrowings and huge infrastructure costs against low fares.

Renong Bhd was the operator of Putra LRT while Star LRT's shareholders were Britain-based Taylor Woodrow plc, the local Employees Provident Fund and Lembaga Tabung Haji, among others.

Both loss-making LRT systems have since been merged under Syarikat Prasarana Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance with the government body holding some 80 per cent of both the companies.

On the other hand, a few analysts say KL Monorail, which was launched only recently, may have a spark of hope given that it's relatively smaller. KL Monorail can ferry up to 85,000 passengers per day.

In addition, the cost of KL Monorail was also lower at RM1.2 billion compared to Putra, which cost RM2 billion and STAR, RM3.5 billion.

Over and above that, KLIG, as it has frequently asserted, is also involved in property and media (leasing of advertising panels).

The company's involvement in the property business is via Jalan-Jalan - a 30,000 sq feet urban renewal project expected to be open for business by year-end.

As for the advertising panels, they will be on monorail columns and structures, and in the trains and stations. There are also plans to have plasma display screens. The train bodies too will be available for advertising purpose.

Mayban Securities, in an earlier report, projected that the company will make losses of between RM1.2 million and RM31.1 million between FY04 and FY09. The research house expects the group to break even in 2010 with a net profit of RM28 million.

However, the company is more optimistic. KLIG, in the prospectus, said it expects to be profitable from the year ending April 30, 2007, with a profit after taxation of about RM2 million.

Executive director of KLIG Al-Jefferey Ibrahim has also said that the company may break into the black earlier than 2007, spurred on by new deals abroad, in the likes of China, Sri Lanka, and Middle Eastern countries among others.

KLIG is part of the engineering and construction group MTrans Holdings Sdn Bhd that holds a 52.6 per cent stake in the former. Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB), which has a 10 per cent interest in KLIG, took over the two loss-making urban rail operators Putra and STAR in June last year.

MTrans Holdings is also the holding company for Monorail Malaysia Technology Sdn Bhd, one of only three companies in the world other than Bombardier of Canada and Japan based Hitachi, which supply monorail systems.

KLIG's parent MTrans Holdings is already in the running to construct a RM4.5 billion monorail project in Dubai and a RM1.5 billion rail project in Indonesia and is looking to venture into other markets aggressively.

The optimism does not only stem from possible ventures abroad. Al-Jeffrey had also said the development of an 18-kilometre LRT system in Putrajaya, the federal administrative capital, which will be operational by end 2004 and operated by KLIG, will help hasten the break-even point for the company.

Check out Malaysia's second monorail manufacturer MMC Metrail at www.metrail.com
Systems in operation: Full-scale test track in Malaysia.
Surprise! Metrail econo-mono test track (9/18/03)
Nilai, Malaysia. Thanks to the sharp eye of Greg Keleshian of Orlando Monorail, we have recently become aware of a new monorail system under development. This one isn't just another pretty art rendering either, a full-scale test track has been built in Malaysia. The Metrail consortium, which has Malaysia Mining Corporation (MMC) of Kuala Lumpur and Frazer-Nash of the United Kingdom as partners, is now testing their Metrail monorail system at an MMC facility in Nilai, Malaysia. The monorail is powered by Frazer-Nash state of the art electric motors, and to keep costs down it is internally powered. Bus bars, external power supply, or substations are not required! The projected cost is around $12-14 million per kilometer. The train can run at low voltage of 48 V with a peak speed of 80 kph. Metrail shows three configurations of their system on their information-scarce website. A standard two-car Metrail train can carry 5,000-10,000 passengers per hour for smaller communities. A three-car Metrail Plus, designed for regular city shuttle services, can carry 10,000_20,000 passengers per hour. Metrail Ultra, the top of the line high-volume Metrail system, can carry 30,000_40,000 per hour. Metrail Ultra also boasts an amazing gradient climbing capability of 18%. Considering the ability to install quickly without electrical subsystems for the track and the projected low cost, it wouldn't be surprising to see many communities around the world line up for a Metrail monorail. We welcome Metrail to the growing community of monorail suppliers!

Metrail website www.metrail.com
Frazer-Nash website http://www.frazer-nash.com/
Malaysia Mining Corporation http://www.mmc.com.my/



http://www.monorails.org/webpix%202/150Metrail1.jpg

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oops...:D

MMC Metrail Configurations




Metrail

http://www.metrail.com/images/metst.jpg

A flexible carriage set for medium duties in resorts, theme parks, light town/city travel.
Capacities of 5 -10 thousand passengers per hour
Minimum curve radius 20 metre
Maximum gradient 10 %
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Metrail Plus

http://www.metrail.com/images/metplus.jpg

A standard monorail system for regular city shuttle service.Medium to high commuter volume.
Capacities of 10 - 20 thousand passengers per hour
Minimum curve radius 30 metre
Maximum gradient 12 %
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Metrail Ultra

http://www.metrail.com/images/metultra.jpg

A high volume monorail system for heavy ridership locations service. High volume commuter traffic.
Capacities of 30 - 40 thousand passengers per hour
Minimum curve radius 45 metre
Maximum gradient 18 %

:sly: looks mini... but good lookin~ very.. :borgsmile:

DID THE METRAIL MONO HAVE ANY CUSTOMER YET?

Originally posted by jomDU

DID THE METRAIL MONO HAVE ANY CUSTOMER YET?

Dunno actually..........But looks like they are bidding for the Penang monorail at the moment against Monorail Malaysia. ;)

Originally posted by szehoong

Dunno actually..........But looks like they are bidding for the Penang monorail at the moment against Monorail Malaysia. ;)

the Penang Government prefers the one in Nilai. they said it is more interesting and the other company's proposal was already old. i read it in the newspapers but i didn't know it looks like that

The design is ugly...not really?? cheap...nope!!...unique..no!!!beautifull...i don't think so....:cry: i don't know how to explain it..it looks so strange for me..looks so plane???????:? :? :? :? :?

it looks like the railway is eassy to built..just fix it like lago:? :? won't take very long time to built it...don't like others Monorail railway...use concrete to built it:? :? :?

Originally posted by Pablo

The design is ugly...not really?? cheap...nope!!...unique..no!!!beautifull...i don't think so....:cry: i don't know how to explain it..it looks so strange for me..looks so plane???????:? :? :? :? :?

it looks like the railway is eassy to built..just fix it like lago:? :? won't take very long time to built it...don't like others Monorail railway...use concrete to built it:? :? :?

i help u explain.... it looks like alien+Japanese design=that thing loh:D

i think it is better than monorail malaysia

I think the concrete used in Monorail Malaysia for the guidebeams are because it's cheaper then the steel it looks like Metrail is using. However, I doubt they can escape using concrete support pylons for a major network tho....especially if the design calls for 2 guidebeams running parallel to each other. That would seriously drive up the cost.....

Originally posted by liping_t

I think the concrete used in Monorail Malaysia for the guidebeams are because it's cheaper then the steel it looks like Metrail is using. However, I doubt they can escape using concrete support pylons for a major network tho....especially if the design calls for 2 guidebeams running parallel to each other. That would seriously drive up the cost.....

concrete cost more than steel???wow i don't know that..i thought steel is cheaper..anyway is it take more times to built the guidebeams if using concrete??

i think steel beam is cheaper than concrete.. and concrete is harder to cast.. those beam is no ordinary concrete.. it's pre-tension concrete beam..

MMC RM15m/km is much cheaper than Monorail Malaysia RM100m/km

but you can obtain pre-cast concrete.....and I thought post-tesion concrete, albeit more expensive, is still less then steel of the grade needed for structural support.....

of course, all this depends on local supply.....

but I may be wrong on all counts seeing as how I'm not a civil engineer :)

I believe the reason of using concrete for the rail instead of steel is because that we have greater expertise on concrete construction. Certain grade of steel had to be imported and steel doesn't fare too well as compared to pre-tensioned concrete in tropical weather.......I am also no civil engineer so I'll ask my engineer friends for their opinion later...... :D

Originally posted by Pablo

concrete cost more than steel???wow i don't know that..i thought steel is cheaper..anyway is it take more times to built the guidebeams if using concrete??

you cocked-eyed again! :D ....Liping said 'Concrete is cheaper than steel' lah!!! :laugh:

Anyway the time to construct the guidebeams doesn't matter as they are all pre-fabricated elsewhere. ;)

I *think* btw, that prestress and posttension concrete are actually referring to the same thing......but can someone enlighten me?

about the cost between these two beam.. i'll try asking my QS frd.

i think pre / post - tension is just a method of casting and making the beam.

pre-tension is when a steel cable (as a reinforcement) layed inside the beam before it hardened.

post-tension is when the beam casted without the cable but with holes for the cable. The cable will be fixed inside the beam at the site (in-situ).

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Malaysia's first privately-owned monorail within a township

The Bandar Sunway Monorail, involving a total investment of
RM65 million over three phases, will be a tourist attraction in its own right while providing a convenient mode of transportation within the Bandar Sunway township. Holidaymakers from other parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, connecting with the KTMB electric double-tracking commuter train service system, will inter-change to the Bandar Sunway Monorail at the proposed Sunway City Terminal located at the Federal Highway.

http://www.monorails.org/webpix/Sunway.jpg

http://www.severn-lambusa.com/monorail2.jpg

http://www.severn-lambusa.com/monorail.gif


S.L. Series Monorail


The sleek and elegant contours of the SL Series Monorail help create the thrilling experience of futuristic travel while the outstanding design makes them super efficient high volume people movers

Features such as composite construction, wide areas of
tinted double glazed windows, automatic doors and air
conditioning make the SL Series Monorail equally
suitable for airports or shopping malls, urban locations
or resort areas. Nothing can beat the performance of the
SL Series Monorail.

Specification in Brief:-



o Standard drive system : 30 to 45 kw AC motor on each bogie

o Brakes : Normal-Regenerative
Emergency/parking - fail- safe
electromechanical

o Guideway : Fabricated steel box section and / or pre-stressed concrete

o Minimum vertical radii : 50 metres

o Minimum horizontal radii : 20 metres (superelevated)

o Maximum gradient : 6%

o Carriage passenger capacity : Front & rear - 30, center - 29

o Train passenger capacity : Variable from 30 to 146

o Operating speed : up to 13.8 m (45 ft) / sec 50 kmph (31 mph)

Any news about Penang monorail instead???:P...

I went Sunway a few times... but seldom see the monorail running... why

Originally posted by Magician

Any news about Penang monorail instead???:P...

I went Sunway a few times... but seldom see the monorail running... why

Sunway Monorail started operations in year 2000 and it ran till end of 2001. The system was in place since 1998! ;)

It stopped until recently to run on weekends only. I guess it is because of the low ridership as the stations were too few far in between and some crucial part of Sunway lacking of a station.

ANother reason is the exhorbitant fees it used to charge. Initially they charge RM5 per trip (any station). Then they lowered to RM3 which is still expensive. I rode it once and I paid only RM1 as my sister used to study at Sunway College where they got the student's concession fare. I think RM 1 would be reasonable. However I am not too sure of the current fare. I would be checking it out soon! :D

Trivia : There are actually 3 phases and this is the first phase. Ultimately it would service Subang Jaya as well and it is supposedly to be integrated with the Subang KTM Komuter station.

Ho

When r they expected to expand to SJ larr.... waiting for a good public transportation system in SJ.... last time I heard that Putra gonna expand here but until now no news! :bash:

good news;) wonder y they built the monorail there although there r not much ppl use it??

the design very nice but the railway look very slim and tall..so gely hehehehe

I'M really jealous........y penang still don't have monorail :cry:

I think the Sunway monorail was truely a visionary concept, to have a monorail serving a large residential area, and then to connect it ultimately with the urban transit systems. But, unfortunately, it suffered from very poor planning and is now a white elephant.

They can still recover however, if they manage to complete their other planned phases of construction and construct more residential stations, which would make the monorail more relevant to the population of Sunway, rather than just a means for the Sunway college students to get to Pyramid....

I long for the day that private transport is made largely irrelevant by efficient public transport in Malaysia, whether busses or rail service.

It would be nice if residential areas could have light forms of mass transit like Personal Rapid Transit which would then, connect them to the urban metro to go downtown......


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Not only connects them to urban metro to go downtown, but also connects them to one of these babies to take them throughout and across Malaysia to the neighboring countries, like Thailand and Singapore.


In front - Shinkasen JR-700 (Max Operating Speed - 300 kph)
At the back - Older version (Maybe 200 or 300 Series - can't remember...)

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Closer look at the superfast JR-700

http://www.you-are-a-huge-nerd.com/public/freepix/CIMG0142.JPG

Side view of the JR-700

http://www.you-are-a-huge-nerd.com/public/freepix/CIMG0221.JPG

Super sleek JR-500 - my favorite train . It has beautiful design.(has the same top speed as JR-700... sorry the picture is a bit dark)

http://www.you-are-a-huge-nerd.com/public/freepix/CIMG0223.JPG

Shinkasen are lining up at Tokyo station before zooming out to various destinations. (JR-500 with a background of 2 JR-700)

http://www.you-are-a-huge-nerd.com/public/freepix/CIMG0227.JPG

cool looking monorail!! looks better than KL monorail

Any news/pics on Jalan-Jalan? ;)

Originally posted by baqthier

Any news/pics on Jalan-Jalan? ;)

No news on that so far but the project seems to be going a bit slow at the moment :(

Prasarana turns sights overseas


By B.K. SIDHU


NOW that both the light rail transit (LRT) projects are operationally profitable, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) is oving beyond Malaysia's shores to export its expertise and has so far secured two consultancy projects in New York and Bangkok.

SPNB chief executive officer Ridza Abdoh Salleh said the company had also done some preliminary works for an LRT project in China.

“China has expressed its intention to appoint us as consultants for its LRT project,” Ridza told StarBiz in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He added that several West Asian countries had asked SPNB to submit proposals for LRT projects on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. Besides, these countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran – Pakistan too had made a similar request.


http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2003/12/11/business/b_1ridza.jpg
Ridza Abdoh Salleh



“We'd like to go global as we have spent years building, planning and operating the current LRT systems (STAR and Putra), with minimum assistance from overseas consultants. Having (gained the knowledge), expertise and capabilities, we want to now export it,” he said.

He added that SPNB’s aim was to be a total railway solutions provider.

Two of its executives are now in New York to assist in the central control operations for New York’s latest rail system at the JFK International Airport. The 13km AirTrain JFK links nine terminals at the airport with two branches that interface with New York’s regional transit systems.

The system is slated to be operational next year. Two more SPNB executives will be in New York by the end of the month.

Early next year, a team of six people will be assigned to help the Blue Line underground Metro system in Bangkok, Thailand.

Although Ridza said the cost of the consultancy works was small at this juncture, they were a starting point for SPNB in its quest to go global.

“We did not get these projects by accident. We worked for them. We formed quality control circles (QCC) within the organisations and each team had to come up with the (best practices) in the areas of engineering, maintenance, operations and customer service,” he said.

With the QCC, the company managed to reduce the delay time for Putra LRT from 17 minutes per day initially to 1.9 minutes per day now. Train availability is among the highest in the world at 99.4% – at times 99.65% – compared with 96% previously.

SPNB, which is wholly owned by Minister of Finance Inc, began operations in 1998. It took over the operations of Putra LRT in May 1999 and STAR last year. It also operates a cable car project for the Langkawi Development Authority.

SPNB also took over the liabilities of Putra and STAR of RM4bil and RM3bil respectively. The government has since issued RM6.4bil worth of bonds to address the debt issue.

The company’s LRT business is now operationally profitable. It chalks up about RM13mil in revenues a year and net profit is RM2mil to RM3mil.

Last month, the government announced that a consortium would be formed to integrate the public transport system in the Klang Valley. The two LRT projects would also be part of the integration process.

Asked what SPNB’s role will be with the consortium in place, Ridza said: “We will play a big role in the integration, in the sense that we are the biggest transportation provider in the Klang Valley since we carry over 300,000 passengers per day.”

He declined to elaborate.

Prasarana plans to build own light rail coaches



BUILDING its own coaches for its light rail transit (LRT) operations with the prospect of exporting them in the future is what Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) is focusing on.

The need for more coaches arises as the capacity of the Putra LRT reaches optimum levels. Adding more coaches is the obvious answer, but for now, the imported coaches are too pricey.

“We are not in a position to buy, but we can build them ourselves.

“We hope to embark on the manufacture of coaches over the next few months,” SPNB chief executive officer Ridza Abdoh Hj Salleh said.

He said the company's depot at Kelana Jaya, Selangor, would be used as the manufacturing facility.

It costs about RM12mil to buy a coach from abroad, but SPNB is confident it can build one for half that amount and that it would meet international standards in terms of quality and performance.

And Ridza is confident there would be a market for the coaches “as many countries are waiting for such coaches.”

Meanwhile, ridership on the Putra LRT has hit 170,000 passengers per day, having seen a 5% increase per year since SPNB took control of the operation in May 1999. Passenger traffic before then was only 45,000 per month.

“Since taking over Putra, there have been a lot of changes.

“We have improved customer service, reduced fares, and we have made sure the trains are more reliable,” Ridza said.

In the case of Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan (STAR), the growth in ridership is about 2% and 3% annually.

“When we took over STAR, the ridership was stagnant at 85,000 passengers a day.

“It has since risen and now averages 117,000 passengers a day. At times, it has even hit 120,000,” Ridza said.

Going forward, the challenge for SPNB is to sustain its growth. That would not be easy, Ridza conceded.

“To be an international player, the company has to continuously improve and it should not be at the expense of consumers paying for its services.”

Providing easier access to users of the LRT is also on the cards and this means doing away with long staircases in some stations.

“Our aim is to continue to work and improve services and our efficiency and offer value to our customers,” Ridza said.

Asked if SPNB was considering a listing, he said: “Anything is possible.” – B. K. Sidhu

Are there any news on KL LRT expansion plan or new line?

What I've heard so far is that KTM will extent its Sentul commuter line until Batu Caves. And Star LRT - Sri Petaling line will extend to an unspecified area.

Are these true?

Originally posted by tomkat

Are there any news on KL LRT expansion plan or new line?

What I've heard so far is that KTM will extent its Sentul commuter line until Batu Caves. And Star LRT - Sri Petaling line will extend to an unspecified area.

Are these true?

Most prolly Straline would be extended till Puchong.....still unspecified and Putraline would be extended till Subang Jaya.....also unspecified. These are just proposaed plans and the routes might change.

As for KTM Komuter.....I really have no idea.......;)

Actually according to DBKL's masterplan........Starline's Ampang Line branching out from Maluri station would also be extended till the Selangor-KL border (near Phoenix Plaza) :)

This question is seems to be very boring, but i want to know that is Putra a LRT or a subway? It is going underground and outdoor. :?

I think this is for the answer .

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76085

So.....anyone got any news bout if Penang would use Metrail? :?

.....some recent news bout steel....... ;)





Longer wait in store for price revision of steel bars


BY LEONG SHEN-LI AND K.P. LEE
PARTIES affected by the high raw material prices for steel – from steel millers to builders– will have to wait longer for relief.

The Cabinet has decided yesterday to leave the controlled price of steel bars unchanged pending a study into the implications.

“Nothing happened,” was how one representative from a construction firm described the meeting with Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Dr Jamaludin Jarjis. The latter announced that there was a need to study further the impact of any price revision for steel bars on both the industry and consumers.

Building Material Distributors’ Association of Malaysia (BMDA) president Lim Kok Ann said he was “quite disappointed” by the decision.

“I don’t see the steel bar shortage situation being eased by an announcement like this,” he said.

Malayawata Steel Bhd yesterday reported a loss of RM5.2mil for its third quarter ended Dec 31, 2003 compared with a net profit of RM6.5mil in the second quarter, no doubt due to the record prices of scrap, its principal raw material.

The government deferred a decision because it was concerned about the impact on low-cost housing as any increase in the price of steel bars would push costs upwards, Jamaludin said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting with the Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (Misif), Master Builders Association of Malaysia (MBAM) and BMDA, Jamaludin said he would be meeting the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Works Ministry to ascertain the impact on the consumer side, while the Ministry of International Trade and Industry would be consulted for the impact on the industry.

“Also we have been asked to look at the effect on contracts which have already been signed,” he said, adding that there are situations where contracts – including those with the government – might not contain any price escalation clause.

Misif is believed to have asked for an increase in steel bar prices by RM600 per tonne from the current ceiling of RM1,214 due the escalating scrap prices.

Scrap steel prices are now trading above US$300 up from only US$180 less than six months ago.

The steel millers have argued that it is not profitable for them to manufacture steel bars at the controlled price while both the BMDA and MBAM have complained that their members are experiencing a shortage of steel bars.

It is believed that as a result of the shortage, an illegal “grey market” has developed with steel bars trading at RM1,800 per tonne.

“The impact study is on-going and we hope to meet everyone within the next two weeks,” Jamaludin said.

Asked whether the government is dragging its feet over the matter, Jamaludin said the request for a revision of the steel bar ceiling price came from the industry only on Jan 20.

“The government has in fact reacted very quickly,” he said.

MBAM secretary general Alan Lim Say Kok said that he hoped the problem could be settled quickly.

MBAM had recently submitted to the government a list of some 38 projects (requiring some 60,000 tonnes of steel bars) which were critically short of the material.

Jamaludin said the steel millers through Misif have undertaken to satisfy any shortage of steel bars faced by the construction industry.

He said this undertaking was given during the meeting yesterday, which he described as “cordial, with no chairs thrown around.”

He added that the ministry would be monitoring this agreement to ensure that it will be fulfilled.

When asked if he would respond to this call, a major steel mill manager told StarBiz that his firm would do so “within our means.”

“But we cannot take care of industry needs, as it is totally beyond what we can supply now,” he said.

Commenting on the decision, BMDA's Lim said the higher prices beyond RM1,214 are “already a reality.”

“If the government approves a higher price, it could actually even mean cheaper steel bars than what some contractors are paying in the grey market,” he said.

Originally posted by TYW

cool looking monorail!! looks better than KL monorail

But KL monorail is much bigger and faster! :D

Originally posted by TYW

cool looking monorail!! looks better than KL monorail
yeirrr..although it looks Okay, i prefer kL monorail...Sunway monorail looks like bullet :D

Originally posted by Pablo

yeirrr..although it looks Okay, i prefer kL monorail...Sunway monorail looks like bullet :D

Actually I also think Sunway's looks better.....but they should make it faster and larger......I've been on it......very SLOW! :(

Originally posted by szehoong

Actually I also think Sunway's looks better.....but they should make it faster and larger......I've been on it......very SLOW! :(

Why don't you send a complaint letter and asked them to make it faster then :D

Originally posted by ZaHiRnYa???

Why don't you send a complaint letter and asked them to make it faster then :D

haha.....if I wanna complain I would ask em to be operated everyday lah! Now they only operate during the weekends. :(

you in office now meh? :?

complain for what? the speed of the monorail will reflect how fast their respond will be :D

Originally posted by szehoong

haha.....if I wanna complain I would ask em to be operated everyday lah! Now they only operate during the weekends. :(

you in office now meh? :?

No. Cybercafe. Im leaving anytime now :D Expensive la cybercafe. Beside I'm returning you sms just now :colgate:

Originally posted by baqthier

complain for what? the speed of the monorail will reflect how fast their respond will be :D

Errr...tak paham la :?

Originally posted by szehoong

Actually I also think Sunway's looks better.....but they should make it faster and larger......I've been on it......very SLOW! :(

I think Sunway's monorail is for traveller;) not like KL 1...it is a public transport..hehehe

Originally posted by Pablo

I think Sunway's monorail is for traveller;) not like KL 1...it is a public transport..hehehe

yea....in da brochure that day....they said they would connect the Sunway Loop with the KTM Komuter station opposite Motorola.

Last time they said they would make a bigger loop around Subang Jaya to connect to Subang KTM station....looks like they budget sekarang! :cry:

Originally posted by ZaHiRnYa???

No. Cybercafe. Im leaving anytime now :D Expensive la cybercafe. Beside I'm returning you sms just now :colgate:

oh thanks!!! When you going back to work? Anyway nice to see ya here! :D

Originally posted by ZaHiRnYa???

Errr...tak paham la :?

I think he meant that their respond would be slow also lah ;) ....sama-sama macam their monorail speed....hehe :D

Originally posted by archilless

i think steel beam is cheaper than concrete.. and concrete is harder to cast.. those beam is no ordinary concrete.. it's pre-tension concrete beam..

MMC RM15m/km is much cheaper than Monorail Malaysia RM100m/km

WOW that is a big difference!

Cool!

Originally posted by hypermount

WOW that is a big difference!

Yeah....it is much smaller also......This is also because the coaches are self-powered (I dunno how this works on a mass transit) as compared to Monorail Msia's centralised-powered system ;)

Originally posted by szehoong

Actually according to DBKL's masterplan........Starline's Ampang Line branching out from Maluri station would also be extended till the Selangor-KL border (near Phoenix Plaza) :)

Hmm..does that mean they going to build up a new rail line so that the services can be extend to Pheonix Plaza?

Originally posted by ZaHiRnYa???

Hmm..does that mean they going to build up a new rail line so that the services can be extend to Pheonix Plaza?

yup......I think it goes beyond KL's border as the masterplan doesn't show anything beyond KL. ANyway it is viable for them to do so as there is a critical mass of commuters out of that part of KL's boundary......think Bandar Sg. Long, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, Balakong, Seri Mayang, Cheras Perdana, Kajang ...etc...... ;)

Originally posted by szehoong

yup......I think it goes beyond KL's border as the masterplan doesn't show anything beyond KL. ANyway it is viable for them to do so as there is a critical mass of commuters out of that part of KL's boundary......think Bandar Sg. Long, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, Balakong, Seri Mayang, Cheras Perdana, Kajang ...etc...... ;)

But then it will take ages for the plan to actually virtualise into reality. When it will happen then :?

Commuter train slams into another, injuring 42




SEREMBAN: A south-bound commuter train rammed into another stationary commuter train Tuesday evening, injuring 42 people, seven of them seriously.

Thousands of passengers, on the evening rush home here, were stranded following the 6.15pm collision.

The collision affected inter-city train services heading to Singapore and the East coast.

The trains, heading to Seremban from Rawang, collided just before a tunnel leading to the KTM station here.

They were carrying some 600 passengers at the time, most of them heading home after work.

KTMB officials said those injured included the KTM Komuter driver, Mohd Zulkifli Abdullah, 24, who was pinned to his seat for three hours after the collision.




http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2004/3/3/nation/n_pg01crash.JPG

NARROW ESCAPE: Rescue workers pulling out train driver Mohamed Zulkifli, 24, from the wreckage after the collision near Seremban Tuesday.--STARpic by KAMAL SELLEHUDDIN.






One train was waiting for a clearance signal some 250m from the tunnel beneath Jalan Labu to proceed to the Seremban station about 1km away when the second train, which was on the same track, rammed it from behind.

Passengers said it was raining heavily and there was lightning and thunder at the time.

Mohd Zulkifli, who is based in the Seremban depot, had injuries to his face and legs, and was later whisked away via a special Komuter train.

Those who suffered minor injuries were admitted for observation and later discharged.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, who visited the site at 10pm, said the collision could have been caused by the failure of the automatic train protection system.



http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2004/3/3/nation/traincrash.jpg.jpg




The Government will set up a committee to investigate the collision, he said, adding that it would comprise representatives from the ministry, KTMB and Department of Railways.

Asked if those injured would be compensated, Chan replied that all passengers were insured.

Eyewitness said those taken to the hospital had broken limbs and suffered whiplash due to the impact of the collision.

Othman said they received a distress call at 6.48pm and he led a team of 40 firemen to the scene to carry out rescue operations.

By then, several victims had already been taken up the steep slope by rescue volunteers and given immediate aid.

A passenger K. Manimaran, 24, who boarded the train at Nilai, said he was on the stationary train when the crash happened.

“My train was pushed forward. I fell but escaped without any injuries but some others were thrown to the floor and hit the glass windows,” said Manimaran, a customer service agent with KL International Airport.

KTMB general manager for commuter services Roslan Mohammed said train services between Rawang and here would stop at Batang Benar near Nilai. Passengers would be ferried between Batang Benar and Seremban by bus.

Victims swamp Seremban Hospital




SEREMBAN: The Seremban Hospital was abuzz with activity last night as staff hurried to attend to victims of a collision between two KTM Komuter trains.

The emergency department was full of people as friends, relatives and volunteers from charity organisations turned up to visit the victims.

More than 40 passengers were registered at the department with eight warded for further observation.

Most of the victims had cuts, bruises and fractured limbs.

Many of them were asleep when the collision occurred at about 6.15pm.

Some had been getting ready to disembark as the train was only a few minutes away from the Seremban station.




http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2004/3/3/nation/n_pg06junaizah.JPG

CARING TOUCH: Junaizah being comforted by her mother (centre) at the Seremban Hospital Tuesday night. Junaizah sustained facial and leg injuries in the collision.





The last victim to be brought into the hospital was the driver of the second train who was wheeled in at 9.45pm.

One victim, Abdul Rahman Othman, an operations manager with a catering company who sustained minor cuts, neck and leg injuries, said that help was slow in coming, adding that none came even about 15 minutes after the collision.

He was, however, pleased with the quick treatment given at the hospital.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy arrived at the hospital at about 10.15pm, 15 minutes after Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad.

Civil defence rescue worker Nirwan Ramli, 24, said some people were crying in pain when the rescue team arrived.

“Some were bleeding from the face while others were holding their heads and necks,” said Nirwan, who carried six injured people from the train to the ambulances.

Among the victims was 25-year-old Junaizah Jumahat who had facial and leg injuries.

Her mother, Hazifah Mohd, 51, was at home when she received a telephone call telling her that her only daughter was involved in a KTM train accident.

“I was expecting her home for dinner but then this happened,” she said.

Junaizah was sent home after receiving outpatient treatment.

Helen Yan, 48, was asleep when she was thrown off her seat.

“I injured both my knees and they are out of alignment. However, many others had worse injuries than mine,” said Yan, who had been seated in the front of the train, close to the driver's cab.

Seremban MP Datuk Hon Choon Kim said that an emergency unit had been set up by the hospital to attend to the victims.

“Most passengers I talked to wanted to know what had happened as they believed that it was a safe mode of transportation. Most of them were regular travellers,” he said.

V. Segar, who was at a petrol station near the accident site, said he ran down the 100m slope to help survivors after hearing a loud crash.

“The injured were sitting on the tracks while others were walking along the tracks towards Seremban,” he said.

His friend, who only wanted to be known as Ramu, said there were more injured passengers on the second train.

From Utusan Malaysia
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/content.asp?y=2004&dt=0304&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Home_News&pg=hn_02.htm

I thought I was already dead, says train driver

SEREMBAN March 3 - "I thought I was already dead." That was the first thing Mohd
Zulkifli Abdullah uttered when asked how he felt of the commuter accident.

Mohd Zulkifli, 33, is the driver of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) commuter train which rammed into another stationary commuter train in Seremban at 6.15 pm Tuesday.

He said he could not believe he was still alive after being trapped in the driver's compartment for about three hours before finally being rescued at 9.20 pm.

Mohd Zulkifli who hails from Pasir Mas, Kelantan said he only saw the stationary commuter train some 20 metres before impact.

"I could only pray to God that all the passenger would be safe.

"Although I was trapped for three hours, I was still conscious and very thirsty. Thank God, no one was killed," he told Bernama when met at Ward 5A of the Seremban Hospital here Wednesday.

Mohd Zulkifli, a bachelor, had served KTMB for eight years.

He suffered injuries on both legs, forehead and cuts caused by a glass splinter under his right eye.

"The one-inch glass had been removed and the cut would be stiched this evening. Only my left leg is swollen and badly bruised.

"I was in a lot of pain last night and could only sleep for a few hours," he said.

In the incident, a commuter train from Kuala Lumpur to Seremban (driven by Mohd Zulkifli) collided with another stationary commuter train just before a tunnel leading to the KTM station in Seremban.

The stationary commuter train was waiting for clearance signal some 250 metres from the tunnel beneath Jalan Labu to proceed to the Seremban station about 1 km away when the second train, which was on the same track, rammed it from behind.

The collision injured 42 people, eight of them seriously. Both trains were carrying 600 passengers during the incident.

MEANWHILE, works to clear the remaining KTM Komuter coach from the tracks at the accident site are expected to be completed by 5 am.

A KTMB spokesman said KTMB staffs were working overtime to remove the coach from the site.

"A crane was brought from Gemas to remove the coach. Work to remove the coach had been delayed as the coach and the wheels were badly damaged by the impact," he told Bernama.

Until late Wednesday night, work at the site was in progress.

"Once the coach is removed we will start work on the track. The wheels need to be repaired before the coach can be removed," he said.

From Borneo Bulletin
http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/thu/mar4w6.htm

M'sia launches inquiry into train crash

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysia launched an inquiry Wednesday into a collision between two inter-city commuter trains during the evening rush hour that left dozens of people injured, transport minister Chan Kong Choy said.

Preliminary investigations showed that signal failure was responsible for Tuesday's crash in Seremban in southern Negri Sembilan state between trains travelling from the capital Kuala Lumpur, Chan said.

"The first train stopped and then the second train came and rammed into it," Chan was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

The two trains were carrying some 600 people and 42 were reported injured, seven of them seriously.

Chan said the crash was the first involving the commuter trains since they were introduced here in August 1995.

What is KTM Komuter? and I would to see a picture. Thank you

KTM komuter is train power with electric....few day ago 2 komuter crash in seremban..due to operation mistake.

small damage only.

50% LRT fare discounts for the disabled


ALL disabled people will be eligible for a 50% discount on their fares when travelling on the Putra and STAR light-rail transit (LRT) trains from today, reported Nanyang Siang Pau.

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd corporate communications senior manager, Katherine Chew, said the disabled needed to show their special cards issued by the Welfare Department to enjoy the reduced fares.

She hoped members of the public would be considerate by not using the parking spaces and seats allotted for the disabled.

The daily said the Malaysian Association for the Blind had issued 650 free cards for the visually handicapped to use the services.

Those interested in obtaining the free cards must be registered as members with the association.

Application forms are available at the Central Market and KL Sentral stations.

hmmmm, great move !!!!!

These are few pics of the komuter.....


http://www.kiat.net/malaysia/images/ktmkomuter.jpg
http://www.big.or.jp/~aochan/travel/klkoutu/komuter5.jpg http://www.big.or.jp/~aochan/travel/klkoutu/komuter4.jpg http://www.big.or.jp/~aochan/travel/klkoutu/komuter6.jpg

KTM Komuter is the first mass transit system and it nicely complements the existing LRT lines in KL.

Great news for the disabled.

Now we have to wait and see if the seat allocated for the disabled will be fully utilise by them or they will be force to the side by ordinary people like us who so happen to sit at that allocated seat as well like what we did in our daily ride using lrt.

I found these Komuter with ads.......


http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/53/rrwaround.jpg
http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/53/celcom.jpg

In the hub of KL modern transit.

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/538898/p.jpeg

I think the trains need some maintenance.Maybe referbish them?I usually take KTM from Nilai and i find that the paint of some trains are coming off.

Originally posted by D_Y2k.2^

I think the trains need some maintenance.Maybe referbish them?I usually take KTM from Nilai and i find that the paint of some trains are coming off.

hehe me also nilai one last time..ahh those memories...lots of perhentian and many times have to stand in the train for an hour from kl to nilai..sick life that time.. :D

hmmm...50% for them..our government really take care of them;)

this is good! Shows that our society is becoming more socially aware...a good indicator of a more developed nation.

Perhaps one day, kneeling/low rider buses too eh :)

..

Anyone got news about the planned LRT extension into Subang Jaya?

The last time I heard, they were planning to pull the lines from Bukt Jalil and Lembah Subang into SJ/USJ.
:?

http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/News.html#anchor32610

Brighton, England. The Brighton Monorail and Tram Company is proposing a monorail to link Palace Pier and Brighton Pier. Together, the piers have 8.5 million visitors each year. The Brighton Bullet would run along Madeira Drive at ground level. A mid-route station would be at Black Rock, where Brighton International Arena and other public gathering places are located. The 1.5-mile line would use the new hybrid-powered Metrail monorail technology. Metrail has a test track in Malaysia. An upcoming Monorail Society DVD by David M. Ice on Malaysia's monorails will feature outstanding footage of the Metrail test track. The Brighton system will be fully automated if built. Brighton Monorail says financing has been arranged and upon approval the line could be operational within two years.

Cool! Brighton city will get a taste of Penang! :D

View from Wangsa Maju Putra LRT station..zoomed of course :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/baqthier/wangsalrt.jpg

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/8/1/nation/8569604&sec=nation

More trains for the masses!

KTMB buying more trains
BY ELIZABETH LOOI

KUALA LUMPUR: KTM Bhd will have extra commuter trains by July next year to provide more frequent trips during peak hours.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the current frequency was 15 minutes per train during peak hours and 30 minutes during the off-peak period.

KTMB plans to shorten the frequency during rush hour to 10 minutes to cater to the increasing number of commuters every day, he said.

The peak periods for the commuter service are from 6am to 10am, catering to the work-bound crowd, and from 4pm to 9pm, for the homeward journey.

The ministry would approve RM90mil for KTMB to improve its maintenance and overhaul capacity as well as to add more trains for its commuter services, Chan said at the end of his site visits to three KTM Komuter service stations in Sentul yesterday. He had earlier visited Rawang and later Seremban.

Present was KTMB managing director Mohd Salleh Abdullah.

Chan said it was crucial to improve the commuter service since it was a popular mode of transport for about 75,000 people daily.

?Since the KTM Komuter was introduced, the number of passengers had been increasing about 9% to 10% every year,? he said, adding that it was also vital to make the service a reliable and convenient mode of transport.

He said KTMB now had 38 commuter train sets and ran 34 daily with four on standby in case of emergencies.

Chan hoped that by next July, there would be an additional 10 sets of EMUs (electric multiple units) to allow KTMB to increase its frequency during rush hour.

He said KTMB was currently facing the problem of limited resources and it needed the help of experts to speed up its overhauling process.

Chan said the ministry had also approved RM10.8mil to build covered platforms at all KTMB stations. At the moment, only the KL Sentral and the Kuala Lumpur station had covered platforms.

Earlier, Chan presented Lafarge Malaysian Cement Excellence Awards to 30 students from 11 secondary schools at SMK Rawang Batu 16.

The awards were part of Lafarge Malaysian Cement?s schools project to promote academic excellence in the local community.

Any info regarding what trains will they be using for the KL-Ipoh double tracking project?

PUTRALINE is KL's 3rd metro system (1998) after KTM Komuter (1995) and Starline (1996). The lastest to join is KL Monorail last year ;)

Here's an introduction to the metro (from its website):

Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik (PUTRA LRT) was incorporated on 15th February, 1994 to design, construct, operate and maintain the LRT System 2 for Kuala Lumpur and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Renong Berhad.

The LRT System 2 known as PUTRA Line, covers a total distance of 29 km linking the eastern and western suburbs of Kuala Lumpur servicing some of Kuala Lumpur’s most affluent and heavily populated areas.

It is using the Advanced Rapid Transit Mark II technology which has been successfully tested and proven in North America and Europe with a very high performance specification specially designed to meet the needs of Kuala Lumpur.

The total alignment which starts from the Depot in Subang and ends at Terminal PUTRA in Gombak is 29km in length. The construction was divided into two (2) sections: Section 1, which is from Subang Depot to Pasar Seni Station, commenced operation on 1st September 1998 and Section 2, which is from Pasar Seni Station to Terminal PUTRA, commenced operation in June 1999.


Featuring the state-of-the-art transport system, The PUTRA Line operates with 35 two-car units traveling at an average of 40 km per hour. Its initial capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour per direction is expected to increase to 30,000 in the near future.

All trains are fully air-conditioned and provide a service level of 90 seconds during peak hours and between five (5) to ten (10) minutes during off-peak hours. The service is provided from 6.00 a.m until 12.00 midnight, on Monday - Saturday at the Commercial Business District, and 6.00 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Sunday and Public Holidays.

For the convenience of commuters, PUTRA Line provides dedicated feeder bus service within 3-km radius from each station. Bus schedules are posted at major bus stops. The operational hours coincides with the LRT operation hours.

As a caring organization, PUTRA considers in the development of the LRT System 2 the needs and requirements of the disabled. Facilities for the disabled are provided both at the stations and on trains.

Currently, PUTRA Line is the world’s second longest, fully automatic driverless Light Rail Transit system.

Putraline is driverless and they run on steel wheels.


http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN5940sm.JPG



http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN5994sm.JPG

Picture of the tunnel taken from the driver's point-of-view :D

http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/IMG_4669.JPG


http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/IMG_4673.JPG

http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/IMG_8292smsm.JPG


http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/IMG_8289sm.JPG



http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/IMG_8333smsm.JPG

http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN5995sm.JPG



http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN3651sm.JPG

http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN3639smsm.JPG

Rules... rules ....rules :D :D :D .......one visitor I met was horrified of the list of rules but was comforted later as she realised that these are the common rules and regulations for all metros around the world :D


http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN8729sm.JPG

The podium at the ground level of Dang Wangi Station (the station is underground). This station is actually a podium for a proposed office building and that explains the unusually large and complicated ground-level structure ;)

Nice thread and pics!
The other day i took the Putra from Kelana Jaya to KL Sentral!And the view from Petaling Jaya to KL Sentral onwards was stunning!I loved the way Telekom looked at night from the LRT:D

http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN3639smsm.JPG

Rules... rules ....rules :D :D :D .......one visitor I met was horrified of the list of rules but was comforted later as she realised that these are the common rules and regulations for all metros around the world :D


http://ftp.maxis.net.my/szehoong/pix/kuala lumpur/transportation/Putraline/DSCN8729sm.JPG

The podium at the ground level of Dang Wangi Station (the station is underground). This station is actually a podium for a proposed office building and that explains the unusually large and complicated ground-level structure ;)

Great thread..I'll post some pics soon.
Why no jangan tak sopan rules on the board? :D

My PUTRA LRT2 pics at Ampang park mall/station.

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4396.JPG?268

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4399.JPG?4338

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4400.JPG?2341

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4572.JPG?6119

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4574.JPG?3345

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4577.JPG?4293

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4403.JPG?366

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/502994/p.jpeg

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/502960/p.jpeg

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/503045/p.jpeg

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/502967/p.jpeg

Great thread..I'll post some pics soon.
Why no jangan tak sopan rules on the board? :D



Thanks! :cheers:

The 'tak sopan' ruling is stated inside the train not at the stations :D

Nice thread and pics!
The other day i took the Putra from Kelana Jaya to KL Sentral!And the view from Petaling Jaya to KL Sentral onwards was stunning!I loved the way Telekom looked at night from the LRT:D


Thanks Darren! :)

Any pictures from ya?

My PUTRA LRT2 pics at Ampang park mall/station.




Thanks for the pics Nazrey! :okay:

Maybe you could resize the pictures smaller next time cos too big lah :D

From Bombardier's website:


Advanced Rapid Transit System - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Built to a fast-track schedule by the Bombardier Consortium, Phase 1 of the LRT System 2 began operation in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur in time for the 1998 Commonwealth Games. The 29-kilometre (18-mile) Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) system links the western and eastern suburbs with Kuala Lumpur's downtown core.

Seventy ART MK II vehicles, designed and manufactured by Bombardier Transportation, provide service to 24 stations of mostly elevated dual-lane guideway. The Bombardier Consortium supplied all of the electrical and mechanical equipment, vehicles and services related to the implementation of the ART MK II technology.

With an initial capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour per direction (pphpd), the system was designed to accommodate up to 30,000 pphpd as the need arose. In 2002, the system carried its 150 millionth passenger, with an average of 160,000 passengers riding the system daily.

Contract Type = E & M Turnkey - Electrical and Mechanical System Supply
System Length = 29 km (18 mi.)
Number of Stations = 24
Start of Revenue Service = Phase 1: 1998 Phases 2: 1999
Fleet Size = 70 Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) MK II vehicles

http://www.bombardier.com/en/1_0/img/122111c.gif

My pic.Thank you for the last sending pics to me,Szehoong!

http://www.xpphotoalbum.com/data/500/9797DSCN4918.JPG?5448

http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Metrail1.html

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/503004/p.jpeg

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/503008/p.jpeg

http://picserver.student.utwente.nl/view_image.php/503008/p.jpeg

Staff to set things on the right track again

By THOMAS HUONG


OVER the next two weeks, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd's operations and engineering staff will be riding the Putraline LRT trains during the morning peak hours.

SPNB chief executive officer Ridza Abdoh Haji Salleh said the employees “stationed” on board would be able to manually restart any stalled train and immediately inform the control centre of the malfunction. “This will minimise the recovery time after a disruption,” he said at a press conference at the Kelana Jaya LRT station on Monday.

The staff will be present from 7am to 9.30am on 16 of the 32 trains that run during the rush hours, Monday to Friday.


SPNB operations and engineering staff will ride the trains during the peak hours.
SPNB has taken the measure after the Putraline LRT service experienced disruptions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday last week.

Ridza said the cause of the disruptions was being investigated.

“Our staff will continue to be on Putraline LRT trains if the disruptions are not solved within the two weeks,” he said.

He advised commuters to be patient in waiting for the personnel to restart the trains.

“Unless it is necessary for their safety, commuters should not tamper with the doors as this will cause a longer delay in restarting the trains,” said Ridza, citing an example where commuters in a train near the Ampang South platform left by using emergency escape doors during a disruption in service last Friday.

He assured commuters that the Putraline LRT service was safe.

“The driverless and fully automated commuter trains are designed with fail-safe control systems.

“The safety of commuters is our priority,” he added.

Quick question. Is the public transportation reliable in KL? Should I need to buy a car? Cuz I would prefer to save money(not buy a car) since the trafic is not looking good in KL :D

Quick question. Is the public transportation reliable in KL? Should I need to buy a car? Cuz I would prefer to save money(not buy a car) since the trafic is not looking good in KL :D

In My Opinion...no contest. Buy a car! Save yourself the frustration, agony, sweat....while waiting for public busses. UNLESS you're in easy reach of the rail options....but even then, want to go out and lepak how? need car la....

'KL needs more rail network'





KUALA LUMPUR needs 261.6km of rail network with 301 transit stations to ease traffic congestion in the city.

Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad said studies showed the rail network system here was inadequate with only 182km and 101 stations.

“If we want to have an efficient transport system, we need to have a comprehensive network. Currently, we do not have a complete rail network.







http://metro.thestar.com.my/news/2004/10/p23Samad.jpg

Isa launching the SPNB LRT Monthly Travel Card.









“If Kuala Lumpur has a public transport network covering 80% to 85% of the areas, I believe more people will use the service,” he told a media conference after launching the Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd's (SPNB) LRT Monthly Travel Card in Kuala Lumpur last Monday.

Isa said his ministry needed to resolve several matters including land utilisation to provide other facilities such as sufficient parking bays.

He added that his ministry was working with the Selangor Government to reserve parts of the roads or lands near public transport stations to be converted into parking bays.

Isa said the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department was also studying other aspects such as the legal processes because the move involved many parties including other ministries.

He also said the Government would continue to initiate programmes that encouraged the public to use public transport in Kuala Lumpur.

Isa said there were plans to improve connectivity between public transport terminals, especially the ticketing system, in the Klang Valley.

“We will forge smart partnerships with companies and offer special promotions in ticket sales to encourage the use of public transport in the federal capital,” he said.

About 200,000 people use the Putraline and Starline LRT services daily. - Bernama

In My Opinion...no contest. Buy a car! Save yourself the frustration, agony, sweat....while waiting for public busses. UNLESS you're in easy reach of the rail options....but even then, want to go out and lepak how? need car la....

Buy a car and also a motorbike. Motorbike is much more cheaper. Reliable, easy to get thru that horrible jam and easy to park. just don't count the rain season ;)

Buy a car and also a motorbike. Motorbike is much more cheaper. Reliable, easy to get thru that horrible jam and easy to park. just don't count the rain season ;)
but have to take shower lah everytime after go to the city with bike..

Follow me larr... jalan kaki... good for health and stamina :D

I think this is really amazing! and has officially begun operation
the total project cost them 50 millions euros(according to yesterday paper) and Beijing city is considering buying this system from them

It would be nice if malaysian could use this system as feeder bus....building new bus lane instead of expensive rail/monorail track. it certainly better than tram :)

http://www.apts-phileas.com
time efficient;
reliable;
comfortable;
providing good passenger information;
low cost and highly flexible;
futuristic and innovative;
environmentally friendly.


http://www.apts-phileas.com/images/Phileas_24m_PIROC.jpg
http://www.apts-phileas.com/images/Phileas_with_infrastructure.JPG

but have to take shower lah everytime after go to the city with bike..

Why is that so :? Nowdays no need la. Everyday raining one. You wet already before reaching home ;)

Why is that so :? Nowdays no need la. Everyday raining one. You wet already before reaching home ;)
raining worse ar broder... i mean pollution ar...

babdikl > Driverless bus ar? Wah.....dunno how it would be albe to stop in time for those crazy drivers....not to mention motorbikes that whizzes around ....later confuse the system only :D

If the system is installed in KL... within a month they will be pulled out from service!!! Kebaboom here and there!!! :D

The Straits Times (Singapore): 5th. November 2004
Gas the way to go for public buses

Using natural gas would reduce pollution and reliance on oil

THE soaring oil price is sweet news to Chiron Commercial Vehicles, an Australian company which produces gas-powered buses in Kulim in Kedah state.

The Malaysian government is keen to get public transport vehicles to switch to natural gas and Chiron hopes to find a ready market for its buses, its equipment to convert buses and its mobile gas stations.

'We are seeing interest in our technology,' said Mr Mohd Izhar Bidin, chief executive of Chiron agent Gas EmasCorp.

It has converted two city buses to run on natural gas for vehicles (NGV) in a trial project for Syarikat Prasarana Negara, the government-owned transport company.

Environmentalists are also happy. NGV, which is sometimes called compressed natural gas (CNG), is far cleaner than petrol or diesel.

NGV was introduced in Malaysia almost 20 years ago but, like in other countries, it did not take off for a practical reason - refuelling outlets are few and far between.

It attracted renewed interest when record-high global oil prices forced a government review of the petroleum usage policy. NGV was proposed as an alternative to petrol.

Deputy Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy said the government wanted a 10 per cent increase in the number of NGV vehicles because this will reduce pollution and the country's dependence on petroleum.

But what the government will not do is reduce its petroleum subsidies, which currently amount to RM14 billion (S$6.1 billion).

NGV does not receive government subsidies but it is directly subsidised by the national oil company, Petronas, which is obliged to keep the price at half that of petrol. At the pump, it costs a mere 58.5 sen a litre compared to 83.1 sen for diesel and RM1.42 for petrol. Without government subsidies, diesel would cost RM2.32 a litre, and petrol RM2.35.

'It will be shifting from one form of subsidy to another. It does not matter if it comes from Petronas or the government, it is the same pocket.

'We have to be very clear about the objective of using NGV. It is for environmental reasons,' Petronas chief executive officer Hassan Marican said in an interview.

He would not disclose the Petronas subsidy for NGV. But it is understood that the market price of NGV is higher than diesel at its subsidised rate of 83.1 sen.

NGV refuelling infrastructure is also very expensive unless the area is served by a gas pipeline. Each station using tankers and compressor units costs about RM800,000.

There are government incentives benefiting the user - lower road tax, tax exemptions on the conversion kit, and a cap on the pump price of NGV. To date, 12,300 cars - mostly taxis - have switched to NGV. About 120 are private cars.

But growth is hampered by the shortage of contractors to handle the conversion and limited refuelling facilities.

A taxi driver who fills up three to four times a day said it is a half-hour wait each time and occasionally the station has run out of gas by the time he reaches the front of the queue.

His switch to NGV cost him RM2,800 - the amount he paid for the conversion kit.

'It's a chicken-and-egg situation. There are sufficient stations to meet current demand but if there is going to be an explosion in NGV usage, we will need more stations,' said Tan Sri Hassan.

Petronas has 38 refuelling facilities nationwide, with another 10 under construction. It aims to have 90 outlets in five years to serve 57,000 vehicles.

Eventually, the promotion of NGV may only be truly successful through legislation.

New Delhi, one of the world's most polluted cities, switched in 2001 after India's Supreme Court imposed a deadline for the conversion of its entire public transport fleet.

Thailand and the Philippines are now testing gas-powered buses.


CLEAN AND GREEN

NATURAL gas for vehicles (NGV) was introduced by Petronas, the national oil and gas company, in Malaysia in 1986.

The company started out with one NGV refuelling outlet and 21 Petronas-owned vehicles converted to run on both gas and gasoline.

Today, there are 38 refuelling outlets to serve 12,300 cars. In five years, the plan is to have 90 outlets for 57,000 cars.

With methane as its main component, NGV is the cleanest burning fossil fuel.

Compared to petrol-driven cars, NGV vehicles emit 60 per cent less carbon monoxide, 90 per cent less non-methane hydrocarbons and 10 per cent less nitrogen oxide.

Natural gas is a rich natural resource in Malaysia, which has 2.34 trillion cubic metres in reserves - enough to last another 34 years. The country's oil reserves will last another 18 years.

CAROLYN HONG

babdikl > Driverless bus ar? Wah.....dunno how it would be albe to stop in time for those crazy drivers....not to mention motorbikes that whizzes around ....later confuse the system only :D

yeah...it's quite true leh..
unless converting some KL roads to 100% bus lane...but again the system could get down very often due to malaysian jaywalking habits..hehe..:tongue3:

we need to train human to live with robots? or robots are developed to suit our needs?
Get malaysian Aibo dogs first..the robot dogs are still pretty 'dumb'..unless you're trained/experienced to 'live' with them...but I think in malaysia we need robot maid instead of dogs..hehe..

do u guys think KTM will use different train models for the 10 new trains?

btw,is there anynews on where will the metrail be implemented?

yeah...it's quite true leh..
unless converting some KL roads to 100% bus lane...but again the system could get down very often due to malaysian jaywalking habits..hehe..:tongue3:

we need to train human to live with robots? or robots are developed to suit our needs?
Get malaysian Aibo dogs first..the robot dogs are still pretty 'dumb'..unless you're trained/experienced to 'live' with them...but I think in malaysia we need robot maid instead of dogs..hehe..
oh, u stated a good point there (out of topic thou..), r we train to live with robots or robots are made to suit our needs.

the obvious answer as we all know would be robots to suit our needs.. but i think if the word robot includes machines (since we dun have one yet) then we r both using robots to live better life and also live to suit robots.

example the way we 'addicted' to computers, but it makes our delivery time way shoter..

example the creation of car, so we have traffic system, and so we learned how to drive a car, how to obey to traffic lights, signals etc,.. but yet it makes our delivery time shorter as well..

to conclude this, as long as robots will not have a brain more powerful than human then is ok liao. if not the driver-less bus take revenge on those who refuse to pay then it will not be okay liao..

Discovering The Soul Of KL
Man who had a hand in mass transit system
By Audrey Edwards News (http://thestar.com.my/news/storyx1000.asp?file=/2001/1/26/focus/2610aese&sec=)




GEORGE Lawrence Rodrigo once lived in a converted cowshed. But today he owns a house valued at RM1.4mil--all because he had the good fortune of investing in a home in Bangsar.

Rodrigo, who was born in Singapore and educated in Penang, moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1939 to look for a job soon after passing his Senior Cambridge examination at the age of 14.

Two years later he landed a job as a general services clerk with Malayan Railways. Rodrigo, who married Doreen Celine in 1949, quickly moved up the ranks and retired as a special adviser to the Transport Ministry in 1978.




http://thestar.com.my/archives/2001/1/26/focus/n_rodrigo.jpg

RODRIGO ... `Government is doing its best to provide these facilities without burdening the people'
He said that among his fondest memories was the day he set eyes on Doreen.




"I met her at a house party which was popular in the 1940s. One of my friends told me that she was a good dancer and that I should dance with her.

"I was smitten after that and we got married. We stayed married for 47 years until she passed away in 1996,'' he added.

Reminiscing about the converted cowshed which he shared with Doreen and their first child for about a year, Rodrigo said: "The owner cleaned it up and converted the cowshed into cubicles. We had to live there as there was a great shortage of houses then.''

The 77-year-old Rodrigo added that he bought the house in Bangsar Park as part of the government's housing scheme for a mere RM42,000 in 1971.

"Bangsar was nothing then ... there were only rubber trees,'' he said, adding that he sent his children to school in Brickfields as there were no schools in Bangsar then.

"I did not expect Bangsar to be what it is today. But the people who developed it did not go overboard. It has been done intelligently ... I don't feel hammed in,'' he said.

Rodrigo said his favourite hangout in the 1940s was the B.B. Park (Bukit Bintang Park), where one could go to the Singing Cafe and joget dance hall.

"All Eurasians love dancing. There were also boxing matches there once every month,'' he said.

His mode of transport then was a bicycle.

"Kuala Lumpur was only a small town then. I got by with that bicycle. As a matter of fact I used to carry my girlfriend on the bar of the bicycle to the dance hall,'' he revealed.

"Trishas were the main form of hired transport. But it was not easy to ride one ... there were a lot of uphill and downhill streets,'' he added.

But as Kuala Lumpur continued to grow at a tremendous pace, Rodrigo said the authorities found that the city's transportation system had also to be further developed.

He had a hand in making a reality the light rail transit and monorail systems which ply the city today.

"I put together an informal proposal to the Transport Ministry in 1976 to have a mass transit system in Kuala Lumpur. This was because Singapore had already embarked on a similar system.

"It was a loose paper of about 32 pages ... interpolated to the population growth of Kuala Lumpur. It was accepted by the ministry and we had sufficient material for a subsequent intensive study. The details were left to the consultant,'' he added.

Rodrigo also said that the modern metropolis that Kuala Lumpur is today is still dear to his heart despite it having changed tremendously over the years.

"A city is great not just because it has the Twin Towers or a good transportation system. It's great because of its people. It's wonderful to see how people from all races can get along in Kuala Lumpur,'' he said.

But Rodrigo added that the city does not have all the facilities that people would want when compared to its rapid development in the last 20 years.

"But the Government is doing its best to provide these facilities without burdening the people. Anyway, facilities can never catch up with people,'' he reasoned.

When asked what he missed most about the "old'' Kuala Lumpur, Rodrigo replied: "A shop which sells really good mamak mee.'' A simple taste for a man with a million ringgit house!

bas MMU

http://1.srv.fotopages.com/2/926352.jpg

Promise of rapid travel in the Klang Valley
Sunday November 28, 2004




Sunday Star says...

BETTER late than never. The promise of a convenient, efficient and cost-effective public transport network for the Klang Valley in 18 months was met with a huge sigh of relief.

The long-suffering city dwellers have been looking forward to a revamped commuting network that will relieve them of daily stress.

It must have taken much political will to reach the decision, considering the corporate adjustments needed to fine-tune an integrated public transport system with a common ticketing system that can effectively serve more than three million people.

As announced by Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop last week, the service would improve when stage buses and light rail transit are integrated under Rangkaian Pengakutan Integrasi Deras (Rapid KL) – the company that will operate the system.

We have seen – and some of us have experienced – the convenient and quick way commuters get to work in those countries that have a well-run public transport system.

In contrast, many Malaysians working in Kuala Lumpur take up to three hours crawling in traffic jams before reaching their offices.

With the positive changes, more commuters will gladly opt for the bus and LRT in their daily travel, as can be seen in most developed countries.

They may have to walk a little more and wait a few minutes for the bus or train but they can be assured of reaching their workplace or returning home in good time, minus the stress of driving their vehicles on congested roads.

If they continue to travel in single-occupancy vehicles even after the whole network is successfully running, you cannot blame the authorities for not trying to improve the quality of life in the city.

Having said that, the Government's responsibility as the implementer of this mammoth project cannot be over-emphasised.

We have seen how some projects in the past failed because of poor planning and supervision, among others.

In some obvious cases, the Government had placed the wrong people at the helm. Perhaps political consideration was the main criterion or favouritism.

We are not short of the brains needed to make this all-important system work. And work it must. We have had enough failed projects that have seen public funds go to waste or, in some instances, pocketed by the corrupt.

The government must therefore appoint only the best to run the new transport system.

At the same time, it must have the courage to replace anyone who is not committed to making the integrated system work.

Let us all show our support for this step in the right direction. For a start, let us applaud when the first Rapid KL bus begins operating between Jalan Yap Ah Loy and Pandan Indah in KL tomorrow.

bas

http://img119.exs.cx/img119/6269/rap9hi.jpg

Rapid KL..

http://img119.exs.cx/img119/7161/rapid7yt.jpg

Rapid KL, to operate public transport
November 2004





Within the next 18 month , Rapid KL will operate an integrated public transport system in the Klang Valley.

The government owned company will take over the services of Putraline and Starline LRT service , Intrakota and Cityliner bus services.



According to the Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop the four services make uo 65 percent of the Klang Valley’s public transport system. Rapid KL would be subjected to a key performance index (KPI) to ensure that services level are maintained.



Fast info : Rapid KL newly appointed COO : Ridza Abdoh Salleh for rail based services and Mohd Ali Mohd Nor for bus services.

Rapid KL Buys 200 New Buses For Feeder Services, Says Dr Hilmi
March 28, 2005 13:31 PM





KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Bernama) -- Feeder bus services by Rapid KL to Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations in the Klang Valley are expected to improve by September with the purchase of 200 new feeder buses and 80 refurbished ones, the Dewan Rakyat was told Monday.

Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said additional feeder buses are expected to increase LRT users from the current 50 per cent from the targeted passenger volume.

He said feeder bus services, previously provided by private bus companies, have now been taken over by Rapid KL.

Rapid KL should have 1,000 buses to serve all the routes in the Klang Valley but it has only 450 todate, he said when replying to a supplementary question from Hasni Mohammad (BN-Pontian) during question time.

After the services were taken over by Rapid KL, some of the buses had to be written-off as they were in very bad condition, he said.

He said feeder services could operate at full capacity by year-end with the purchase of brand new and refurbished buses.

On LRT passengers, Dr Hilmi said passenger volume on Star and Putra lines had increased to 50 per cent from the targeted volume compared to 12 per cent on Star and 18 per cent on Putra in 2000.

Inadequate feeder bus services and limited coverage of the Star and Putra lines were the main factors for the lack of response from the public, he said.

Replying to the original question from Datuk Seri Law Hieng Ding (BN-Sarikei), Dr Hilmi said the government was considering extending LRT services to rapid growth areas like Subang, Shah Alam, Damansara, Selayang and Puchong.

Studies carried out covered various aspects including population density and accessibility by road, he added.

-- BERNAMA

So in future... no more Putra LRT???

this pic already say it liao :)

http://img119.exs.cx/img119/7161/rapid7yt.jpg

hey, i didn't realize that when in KL....

STAR line at Bandar tasik selatan integration.

http://img186.exs.cx/img186/3792/p10004698or.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img186.exs.cx/img186/3306/p1000477ro.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img208.exs.cx/img208/9822/p8id.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img186.exs.cx/img186/2627/p10000oh.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

yayyyy!! Had been waiting a long time for a transit network like that to be realised in KL!! The city has indeed matured!! *thumbs up!*

This is STAR line what...:weird:

http://img127.exs.cx/img127/8516/sm0cv.jpg

Hmm new livery for the Starline.. I shall miss the yellow/white one.

Yalor..now Star looks much like a worn off version of our late Putra LRT

its good now Government controls the public transport system!The link of every transport is similar to Melbourne's Metlink!

Is Star train compatible to run on Putra's track?

Is Star train compatible to run on Putra's track?

Absolutely No! :) They're run on different track.

Kuala Lumpur Public Transport (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=2561137#post2561137)

http://img65.exs.cx/img65/8021/klmap10lu.jpg

A - KTM Komuter (Rawang-Seremban)
B - KTM Komuter (Sentul-Port Klang)
C - STAR line (Sentul Timur-Ampang)
D - STAR line (Sentul Timur-Sri Petaling)
E - PUTRA line
F - KL monorail

RENTAS, new KTM Komuter's newsletter
Now available!



http://foto.bernama.com/foto/Photo/120405_5.jpg

BULLETIN… KTM commuter Jamilah Saad reading the newly launched Buletin Rentas published by KTM. The bulletin was launched by KTM Managing Director Datuk Mohd Salleh Abdullah at Stesen Central in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday. Buletin Rentas highlights the latest development and promotion of KTM Commuter, safety tips, commuters’ feedback and news on business activities. Pix: Arjasneh Ahmad



RENTAS, KTM Komuter's newsletter will be available for public viewing begining April 12, 2005 through this website (http://www.ktmb.com.my/).

It was originally published as KOMUTER TERKINI in 2003 for internal distribution. Beginnning this year RENTAS will be distributed for public and will also be available for viewing in this website. For free copy of this newsletter please write to , The Editor, RENTAS, Komuter Services Department, KTM Berhad, Level 4, Sentral KL Station.

RENTAS will be officially launched on April 12, 2005 by Y.Bhg. Dato' Mohd Salleh Abdullah , Managing Director of KTM Berhad at Sentral KL Station.

Some part of Rentas newsletter

Senyum Komuter :) (Smile Komuter)

http://img229.echo.cx/img229/3647/ktm27ty.jpg

http://img229.echo.cx/img229/6209/ktm8lo.jpg

This is STAR line what...:weird:

http://img127.exs.cx/img127/8516/sm0cv.jpg


WAH! The new livery is so much more nicer :okay:

Monorail, LRT Get The Thumbs Up From Commuters


KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- The Monorail and Light Rail Transit (LRT) have received the thumbs up from a large number of public commuters for their generally satisfying services.

Malaysian commuters, however, gave the thumbs down to three other public transport services, including taxis, buses and other forms of public transport, expressing dissatisfaction with their timings, comfort factor and fares.

Kamaruldzaman Salleh, group account director of an international research firm, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) said, in a study conducted by the firm, Monorail and LRT scored 61 in a customer retention index signifying the highest score in the study, while buses 32 and taxis were handed the lowest score at 29.

The TNS study, "Assessment of the Malaysian Public Transport Sector", was conducted in March this year, with the participation of over 600 adults aged between 18 and 60 in the urban Peninsular Malaysia.

The study also revealed that only one, out of 10 commuters had a satisfying experience using public transportation, while two thirds of those polled said if given the choice, they would opt for a new alternative in transportation.

"Our study shows that the public transportation system is under pressure to significantly improve its performance with the Monorail and LRT now becoming the benchmark for other public transport players to emulate," Kamaruldzaman said in a media briefing Thursday.

The firm had also identified several areas in which taxis and buses could improve their services.

Noting ride comfort as top on the list of complaints by commuters, he suggested upgrading the condition of vehicles, improving seat comfort and not being selective in the routes as measures that could be taken.

As to fares, he said commuters wanted them to be aligned with other modes of public transport, while resolving customer complaints was also a major request from commuters.

"As for buses, a majority of commuters want bus operators to increase service frequencies and reduce the waiting time, while improving the condition of buses overall," he said.

Passengers also want bus operators to improve on customer service, courtesy of staff and to promptly attend to complaints, he added.

However, despite the gloomy picture painted by most commuters on the state of public transportation, some were expecting to see positive changes over the next five years.

About 41 percent of those polled were upbeat that the LRT service would improve, 40 percent believed that bus operators were set to make some positive changes and 28 percent hoped taxi services would become better.

-- BERNAMA

Rail project back on track



PETALING JAYA: The expansion of the double-tracking electrification rail project, put on hold since December 2003, will resume under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, with emphasis on the northern sector.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the ministry had submitted a proposal to the Government to extend the present network of the country's largest infrastructure project.

“It is only logical that we further expand the project under the Ninth Plan,” he told reporters after opening the first Asia Rail conference and exhibition here yesterday.

Chan was asked if the Government had plans to revive the RM14.5bil double tracking project, which was postponed to give priority to projects already committed to under the Eighth Malaysia Plan when the country was facing a budget deficit.

“The project was only postponed at that time. Construction on the Rawang-Ipoh section is ongoing. We are proposing something beyond that,” he said declining to name the actual locations.

It is understood that the stretches in the northern sector that had been identified include Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and Padang Besar.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/4/26/nation/p10chan.jpg

CHUGGING AHEAD: Chan holding up the rail magazine which he launched after opening the first Asia Rail conference and exhibition in Petaling Jaya Monday. With him are KTM Bhd chairman Tan Sri Thong Yaw Hong and KTM Bhd freight service general manager Abd Radzak Abd Malek.







The double-tracking project would involve the laying and electrification of 636km of tracks spanning the length of peninsular Malaysia and be part of the 5,600-km trans-Asia rail link connecting Singapore and Kunming in China.

It was earlier awarded to a local consortium comprising Malaysia Mining Corp Bhd (MMC) and Gamuda Bhd.

Chan said the Government was also looking at expanding the existing Klang Valley Komuter electric double-track network from Sentul to Batu Caves and Selayang to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance the public transportation system.

He also said KTM's rail freight charges may increase this year in view of escalating operating costs following rising diesel prices.

KTMB managing director Datuk Mohd Salleh Abdullah said the Government approved the last freight charge revision in 1992 while commuter fares were revised in February 2003.

He said rail freight business contributed 35% or RM107mil to KTMB's total revenue of over RM330mil last year.

Hill Railway can also lah?? :D:D




Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Overhaul for hill railway State seeks RM40mil

The state government is requesting RM40mil under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to overhaul the entire Penang Hill funicular train system.

State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the overhaul was needed to upgrade the present system and to offer better service.

“The Tourism Ministry is supportive of the idea to overhaul the system,” he told a press conference yesterday.

He said the RM40mil was to upgrade the coaches and railway tracks.

On Sunday evening, 70 tourists were trapped on the hilltop for three hours when the train’s brakes malfunctioned.

The 100-year-old system had been plagued with frequent breakdowns.

The railway service stopped operating for eight months when a clamp holding a 2km cable gave way during upgrading works in December 2003.

It was reopened last August after the state spent RM2.5mil on upgrading and repair works.

Teng said that the situation on Sunday evening was not dangerous.

“It was only a minor problem, and all the trapped tourists were brought down using four-wheel drive vehicles by 11pm the same day.

“The train services resumed on Monday at 1.15pm,” he said.

On a suggestion that the railway system be upgraded in favour of a single track to allow passengers to reach the upper station without having to switch trains, Teng said the relevant departments were still looking into the proposal.

MMC welcomes rail project revival
Wednesday April 27, 2005



MMC Corp Bhd welcomes the revival of the double-tracking electrification rail project, which had been put on hold since December 2003, said group chief executive Datuk Ismail Shahudin.

“We are happy that the Government has decided to move along with the project,” he told reporters after the company's AGM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The Ipoh–Padang Besar and Seremban–Johor Baru double-tracking project was deferred by the Government in an effort to reduce the country's budget deficit.

Before the postponement, MMC (formerly known as Malaysia Mining Corp Bhd) and Gamuda Bhd were awarded the contract worth RM14.5bil to carry out the project on a 50:50 joint-venture basis.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said on Tuesday the project would resume and be expanded under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, with emphasis on the northern sector.

Asked if MMC would undertake the massive project, Ismail said that before the project was deferred, the company was working on the railway design and layout. “However, we are guided by what the Government wants to do,” he said, adding that MMC would “wait for instructions”.



http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/4/27/business/p1feizal.jpg

From left: MMC group chief operating
officer Feizal Ali, Datuk Wira Syed Abdul Jabbar
Shahabudin and Datuk Ismail Shahudin at the
AGM yesterday,



He said the company had continuously pushed for the development of the railway project to provide significant rail infrastructure in the northern states as well as boost the overall economic activities in the country.

“We see the rail project as a key infrastructure for the development of the country,” he said.

On its strategy, he said MMC would continue to focus on its three core businesses of transport and logistics, energy and utilities, and engineering and construction.

“We will pursue business opportunities both locally and abroad,” Ismail said, adding that MMC would only expand overseas in areas where it had core competencies.

MMC chairman Datuk Wira Syed Abdul Jabbar Shahabudin said the company's vision was to become a premier utilities and infrastructure group.

“The adoption of a new logo reflects the changes and progress the group has achieved and projects its dynamism for the future,” he said.

In a recent interview with BizWeek, Abdul Jabbar had said MMC's proposition was to offer a balanced portfolio of core assets geared towards riding on Malaysia's economic growth.

“We also believe in partnering with leaders in their respective fields to have a stronger global presence,” he said, citing MMC's 50.1%-owned subsidiary Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd teaming up with Danish shipping giant Maersk Sealand as an example.

For the 11 months ended Dec 31, 2004, MMC's revenue grew by 18% to RM1.4bil, while its pre-tax profit increased by 108% to RM458mil.

Rail project boosts Gamuda and MMC shares
Wednesday April 27, 2005
By izwan idris


THE share prices of Gamuda Bhd and MMC Corp Bhd received a boost yesterday on talk that the government may revive the double-tracking railway project under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

Gamuda and MMC, as a consortium, were originally awarded the contract worth RM14.5bil before the railway upgrade and electrification project was shelved in 2003.

“If the Government decides to revive part of the project, Gamuda and MMC are likely to receive the first right of refusal,” Mayban Securities commented in its daily update.

It added that it was conceivable that the government would include the project under the 9MP, but on a reduced scale.

While it's too premature to speculate on the possible involvement of Gamuda and MMC in the project, analysts said the latest development had a positive implication for the construction industry.

Mayban reiterated its “neutral” call on the industry on lack of domestic spending and margin squeeze, but picked Gamuda as one of its top stocks in the sector.

Another bank-backed stockbroker also rated Gamuda as “outperform” based on its earnings per share (EPS) projection of 40 sen for the current year ending Dec 31, 2005.

At yesterday’s close of RM4.50, the stock was trading at 11.2 times to its forecast for the current calendar year.

Dealers said Gamuda had attracted some buying over the past few days after it hit RM4.28 last week, which was its lowest price level since late 2001.

Meanwhile, MMC gained 2 sen to RM1.97 yesterday on light follow-through buying. Its stock price had risen steadily after slipping to a six-month low of RM1.93 on April 20.

Malaysian firm may get Lahore rail job
PAUL GABRIEL IN LAHORE

A MALAYSIAN firm is likely to be awarded a lucrative contract to build and operate a monorail transport network in Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city.

Valued at about US$500mil (RM1.92bil), the project is the first of its kind in Pakistan.

Three or four Malaysian firms and a company from China had bid for the project, Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi said, adding that one of the Malaysian entities was likely to be successful.

“Your companies have participated in the feasibility report. The project will likely be awarded to you,” he said in an interview at his office.

He did not identify the Malaysian companies involved, but MTrans Holdings Sdn Bhd is said to be in the best position.

MTrans is the holding company of various urban transit solution companies, including monorail operator KL Infrastructure Group Bhd (KLIG) and Monorail Malaysia Technology Sdn Bhd (MMT).

MTrans is also one of only three urban transit monorail manufacturers in the world, with the others being Hitachi Ltd of Japan, and Bombardier Inc of Canada.

“Malaysia has the edge due to its technical expertise in the urban mass transit transport field, and you have a very good chance,” Elahi said.

Elahi said the monorail project, planned in Lahore’s city centre, was scheduled to be launched this year under the BOT (build, operate and transfer) concept.

The project was crucial as the city of seven million people was facing severe traffic congestion, he added.

He said Malaysian firms were known for their good track record in construction.

Elahi said among the projects available were a ring road for Lahore city, valued at 18 billion Pakistani rupees.

“We also need to build many inter-district roads within Punjab. There are a lot of activities going on and I would like to invite Malaysian companies to bid for these projects,” he added.

He said there were also opportunities for Malaysian construction firms in the housing sector, as the Punjab Government had decided to build homes for its more than 1 million government employees.

“This is a scheme for everybody in the government service, from the peon up to the chief secretary.

“Workers in the lower categories will be provided with flats while those in the higher brackets will be given three-room houses,” Elahi said, adding that an area had been identified in Faisalabad for the scheme’s second project.

The bulk of the homes needed were low- and medium-cost units, he said, adding that at least 300,000 units were required in the short term.

Elahi also said the Punjab Government was opening up new industrial areas, with free land to be offered to companies investing over US$20mil.

Siemens: Rail saves cost
Saturday May 14, 2005
BY DANNY YAP



http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/5/14/business/p7JonBader.jpg

Dr Jon Bader with a model of the
ERL system - Starpic by Kamarul Ariffin


A COMPREHENSIVE and integrated rail system in Malaysia would significantly cut the cost of fuel used in transporting goods across the country, said Siemens Transportation Systems Group (TS) special adviser Dr Jon Bader.

Comparing road with rail, Bader said rail transportation was far more efficient in terms of cost and would have a measurable impact on the economic development of a country.

“For instance, if four million tonnes of goods were transported by rail instead of road to the same destination, the savings in fuel alone could be as much as 80% based on the current diesel price,” he told StarBiz in Petaling Jaya.

Bader said rising diesel prices and the rapid economic development in South-East Asia had made it imperative for developing countries like Malaysia to have a more integrated rail system.

“It may take several years for Malaysia to develop a more integrated rail system but I’m confident it will happen in time,” he said.

Currently, freight transported via rail in Malaysia accounts for about 3% of the total freight by all modes of transportation, compared with 40% in Europe, Canada and the United States.

Bader said while the cost of developing a comprehensive rail system was huge, it was a key infrastructure in nation building and played a vital role in the economic and social development of a country.

It also addressed environmental concerns, he added.

Bader said most of the rail projects undertaken by TS cost over US$1bil, and generally took about three years to complete, citing the Express Rail Link (ERL) project as an example.

The ERL carries passengers from KL Sentral to KL International Airport over a distance of 57km.

“We completed the ERL project ahead of time and within budget,” Bader said.

He added that TS, a unit of Germany-based Siemens AG, had to-date completed over 30 turnkey projects worldwide.

For the financial year ended Sept 31, 2004, TS posted a turnover of 4.31 billion euros.

UEM in talks with govt on rail project
By Jimmy Yeow, 19 May 2005 10:40 PM



http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/storage/images/com.tms.cms.image.Image_f5618aae-cb73c03a-15cd9c00-cc25a103/1/UEM_inside.jpg
(From left) UEM COO Hussein Abdul Hamid, UEM chairman
Datuk Abu Hassan Kendut, Kuala Lumpur Sentral chairman Shahril Ridza
Ridzuan, UEM MD & CEO Ahmad Pardas Senin and Kuala Lumpur Sentral
CEO Chan Chee Meng take a closer look at a model of Kuala Lumpur
Sentral's latest development project.


United Engineers (Malaysia) Bhd (UEM) is in talks with the government to take over as the main contractor of the RM2.58 billion double tracking rail project between Rawang and Ipoh, says UEM managing director Datuk Ahmad Pardas Senin.

We are definitely interested. If considered, we know we have the capability as we are already involved as the sub-contractor for the bridges (in the project), he said on May 19.

Ahmad Pardas said the negotiations with the government were ongoing, but declined to reveal any details. I am not aware if UEM is the only party the government is talking to, to replace DRB-Hicom (Bhd), he added.

Last Saturday, the Transport Ministry announced that it had taken over the project, which has been delayed by at least two years, and that DRB-Hicom would be replaced as the main contractor by another entity.

DRB-Hicom earlier this week said it had not been fully paid for 88% of the civil works completed on the project as well as some RM700 million in variation cost owed by the government.

We have not been offered (the project) yet and it is up to the government when to announce who would take over as the lead contractor, Ahmad Pardas said. We are not asking for the price (of the contract to complete the job) as we have to wait for the government to decide, he added.

Ahmad Pardas was speaking to reporters after UEM signed a sale and purchase agreement with Kuala Lumpur Sentral Sdn Bhd for the purchase of a plot of land at RM54 million to house the new UEM Group headquarters at Kuala Lumpur Sentral.

He said the 29-storey headquarters to cost RM144 million, including the land cost, would be completed by early 2008. It includes a 23-storey office space, five-storey car park and ground floor. It will finance the project from internal funds.

Kuala Lumpur Sentral chairman Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said the company was undertaking the largest commercial development at the site with gross development value of RM1.2 billion.

The projects to be completed by 2008 include Plaza Sentral's phase 2 premier office suites, Lot N office tower, Suasana Sentral Loft condominiums and a shopping mall as well as service apartments.

Public Transport Commission Will Be Set Up Soon
May 19, 2005 15:56 PM



KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- The public transport commission which is aimed to regulate and improve the public transport system in the Klang Valley will be set up soon, deputy Minister of Transport, Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said.

He said it was expected to be commissioned this year considering that traffic in major urban centres particularly in Kuala Lumpur would continue to grow rapidly.

"For the past 10 years, it is estimated about RM14 billion was invested to upgrade the urban transport system in Klang Valley," he told reporters after opening a conference on urban transport, here.

Uggah said despite the high capital investment to develop and upgrade the urban transport system, the usage of urban public transport had been decreasing from 34 percent in 1985 to a mere 16 percent in 2003.

"This does not seem to be a good trend when compared with other major developed cities like Seoul (60 percent), Singapore (56 percent) and Tokyo (49 percent)," he said.

In view of this scenario, he said, measures were currently being undertaken to restructure urban public transport system in the Klang Valley.

These measures, according to Uggah included the taking over operations and assets of LRT systems and bus services namely Intrakota and Park May.

The operation of these services is currently run by government owned operating company while the assets are vested separately under a government owned asset company.

In the last two decades there have been phenomenal developments in land transport systems in Kuala Lumpur, specifically the development of highways, amalgamation of bus operators and the operations of integrated urban rail systems in KTM Commuter, STAR LRT, PUTRA LRT, Express Rail Link and KL Monorail.

Since the operations of the urban rail system, the ridership for this system had shown increase in number of passengers reflecting the encouraging preference of users to commute using the urban rail system.

According to Uggah this is evidenced by ridership for PUTRA LRT system that has increased from 56 million passengers in 2003 to 58 million passengers in 2004.

In the case of STAR LRT system the ridership had increased from 39 million passengers in 2003 to 43 million passengers in 2004.

The Express Rail Link's ridership has also increased from 2.7 million passengers in 2003 to 3.6 million in 2004.

The Monorail which started commercial operations on Aug 31, 2003 recorded a ridership of 2.9 million passengers for the four month in 2003 and 12 million passengers in 2004.

The Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station integrates the urban rail stations which consists of KTM Commuter, PUTRA LRT, KTM Intercity and KL City Air Terminal.

"To further promote and provide accessibility and facilitate greater use of urban public transport the government has developed and will continue to develop integrated transport interchanges and transit networks in Kuala Lumpur such as the interchanges between STAR LRT, PUTRA LRT and Monorail systems," he said.

He said the bus and taxi terminals that integrated with urban rail transport system would also be developed with the objective of reducing traffic congestion.

In realization of greater need and demand for single common ticketing system, for the ease of user, he said the government was currently looking into detail technical aspects of introducing the single ticketing system for all urban transport operators.

The feeder bus services, he said had been enhanced to ferry passengers effectively from residential areas to the LRT stations.

"Parking facilities are being upgraded constantly, wherever possible, to promote the park and ride concept," he added.

-- BERNAMA

Going places with ticketing system
Sunday May 22, 2005
BY LEONG SHEN-LI



http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/5/22/business/p34azman.jpg

WORKING WELL: Mohd Azman demonstrating his multicard
electronic farecard readers, which are being used for the government's
common ticketing system project.


LISTEN to Pradonet Sdn Bhd chief executive director Mohd Azman Nasir talk about the challenges he faced setting up his business and you would think that he was dealing with either state secrets or something illegal.

Although technology for his business has been in existence for over 20 years, Azman and his team still had to start from scratch when they set out to provide local IT solutions for automatic fare collection and ticketing systems for the public transport market in Malaysia.

And even after they became successful, Azman says, Malaysians still had to be convinced that his company’s products were as good as, if not better, than those manufactured by foreign players.

“The secrets of the business (the technical know-how) are well-guarded,” Azman says.

“Because of this, we had no choice but to start from the very beginning and catch up through our own research and development.”

In 2002, Azman together with two others decided to try and break the tight grip a small group of foreign companies had over the Malaysian market.

Having been involved in various public transport projects in Britain and Malaysia – he was a senior manager in Kuala Lumpur's Putra-LRT (now Rapid KL’s Putraline LRT system) – Azman provided the expertise in public transport while chief technology officer Rozaimi Shafri handled the technical details.

Azman’s previous experience in the public transport sector made him realise how dependent the local operators were on foreign suppliers.

“We had to go back to the supplier for every little thing, sometimes even for something as simple as changing the fare structure. That has cost and time implications,” he explains.

The Malaysian operator also had to rely on the supplier for after-sales service, spare parts, repairs and maintenance.

There were also cases where certain parts were no longer manufactured, leaving the operators in a lurch especially when they wanted to open new stations or add new machines for existing stations.

“And if you want these giant players to modify something to suit local conditions, you might as well forget it,” Azman says.

With local providers, he says, the above problems will more or less disappear.

“Furthermore, because we are not saddled by legacy issues, our solutions are probably more up-to-date, and designs more modern,” he adds.

But the price tag will be the main selling point for local companies like Azman’s.

“We can do the job for the same standards, if not better, for up to 40% less,” he says.

Despite such plus points, he says most Malaysian operators still prefer to buy foreign systems, often merely because of the weight of an established brand name.

“I guess there is always some risk involved when you move away from a well-known brand and many people are not willing to take such risks,” says Azman, whose big break came with the government’s push for a common ticket for all public transport systems in the Klang Valley.

The project will allow Touch ‘n Go cards to be used to pay fares for the KTM Komuter, monorail, light rail transit (LRT), Express Rail Link and, ultimately, the buses.

Besides being the systems integrator, Pradonet also worked closely with Iris Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, which handled the million-ringgit project, to design new electronic farecard readers.

These have now been installed at the turnstiles of KTM Komuter, monorail and ERL stations (which, unlike the LRT, still do not accept Touch ‘n Go cards).

The job has been completed but the system is still not up and running due to some outstanding commercial issues between Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd (Touch ‘n Go’s operator) and the public transport companies.

“The system has undergone initial tests and worked very well. The moment the parties agree, it can start operating,” says Azman.

What is unique about the system is that the readers can read different cards. (All existing card readers, including those used at toll plazas, are only made to read Touch ‘n Go cards.) This is because the readers have additional slots for security chips. Similar to the SIM cards in mobile telephones, these enable the readers to read different cards.

“This means that operators and users have options and are not restricted to just one farecard system,” Azman explains.

Azman has also come up with a booking office machine, which is basically a ticketing machine for counter use.

The machine is capable of using tickets that are manufactured by other companies, allowing operators to replace existing machines without any problem.

“This solves the problem where foreign companies no longer manufacture certain types of machines,” Azman says.

Other products in the pipeline include fare gates and other machinery related to ticketing and fare collection.

Azman is extremely grateful to Iris for providing the support that he needed as a start-up company. And it is also with Iris that he hopes Pradonet can move to markets beyond Malaysia.

“We would have gone nowhere without Iris. Now, we hope we will be able to go places with it,” Azman says.

Rapid KL expects to record RM250m revenue by year-end
Updated : 25-03-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : HAMISAH HAMID



RANGKAIAN Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL), the Klang Valley public transport service operator, expects to register RM250 million revenue by the end of this year.

Newly-appointed Rapid KL chief executive officer Rein Westra said rail operations will contribute 60 per cent to the revenue while the remaining 40 per cent will be from bus operations.

¡§We hope to break even within the next two to three years when the system is fully operational.

¡§But profit is not our primary aim as we are focusing on providing more efficient service to the public and improving what we are doing,¡¨ he told reporters after a media briefing on Rapid KL¡¦s progress in Subang yesterday.

Besides Westra, other members of Rapid KL senior management team which was in place since February 1, are chief operating officer (rail operations) Ridza Abdoh Salleh and chief operating officer Mohammad Ali Mohammad Nor (bus operations).

Rapid KL, which is wholly-owned by the Government, has a paid-up capital of RM50 million.

The company was established in July 2004 following the merger of four bus and rail operations. They are STARline LRT, PUTRAline LRT, Intrakota Bus and Cityliner Bus.

Westra said Rapid KL manages RM8 billion worth of assets, which are owned by another wholly-owned government entity, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd.

¡§Rapid KL does not own the assets but we maintain and operate them and provide the service,¡¨ he said, adding that the company is governed by a 10-year operating agreement.

Rapid KL currently records 3.3 million passengers per week, of which its light rail transit operations carry 2 million passengers a week, and its buses that ply 94 routes in Klang Valley ferry 1.3 million passengers a week.

Westra said the company currently has a fleet of 1,055 buses, of which 503 are on the road and the rest are under servicing and repair.

¡§We need about 700 more buses in our fleet to provide service levels needed,¡¨ he said, adding that Rapid KL will put the out-of-service buses back on road as soon as possible.

He said the Government has agreed to provide 200 new buses, with delivery within the next six to nine months.

Rapid KL is also recruiting 500 new bus drivers to meet the expanding network.

¡§Within the next six months, we aim to have in place a common ticketing system across the Rapid KL bus and rail network,¡¨ he said.

Westra said Rapid KL is coming out with a flexible and efficient bus service system that will complement the existing efficient LRT system.

He said the company¡¦s effort in developing a bus schedule for 13 routes with 15-minute waiting time has resulted in about 10 per cent increase in ridership. These routes represent 30 per cent of Rapid KL¡¦s bus ridership.

¡§Today, due to lack of buses, we don¡¦t always meet the 15-minute headway. More routes will be added as we include more buses,¡¨ he said.

Westra said the Government has generated key performance indicators for Rapid KL to ensure transparency and measure the company¡¦s progress in providing an integrated public transportation in the Klang Valley.

http://img189.echo.cx/img189/2200/dscn20521zi.jpg

wow..and that's part of downtown KL! nice!

This picture KTM Komuter reminds me of some cities in europe

WORK on the remaining RM2.6 billion civil portion of the Rawang–Ipoh double tracking rail project will restart on June 25, people familiar with the matter said yesterday.
Construction had stopped for a while because the Government had changed the main contractor early this month.

A unit of UEM Builders Bhd was tasked to complete the remaining 12 per cent of the job. The UEM unit is expected to start work by middle of next month, Mail Money was told.

The sub-contracts were asked by the Government to proceed with the minor works, pending an assessment by UEM of the value of the remaining portion of the job. UEM is expected to submit its cost findings to the authorities by early next month.

On June 1, the Ministry of Transport had asked UEM to take over the remaining civil work on the rail project from DRB-Hicom Bhd, the main contractor for the job.

Vehicles Registration Up 10 Per Cent
Updated : 19-06-2005
Media : Bernama



Vehicles registered in the first quarter of this year rose by 21,769 or 10 per cent to 238,934 over the January-March period last year.

The Statistics Department, giving the breakdown in its May bulletin, said 117,457 cars were registered by the Road Transport Department in January-March this year compared to 103,373 for the same period last year, followed by 108,571 motorcycles against 101,148 last year.

A total of 932,363 vehicles were registered last year, with cars accounting for 472,116, followed by motorcycles (397,997), buses (1,290), taxis and hired cars (9,543), goods vehicles (33,169) and other vehicles (18,268).

The bulletin also said the number of passengers who used Putra-LRT, Star-LRT and KTM Komuter increased last year compared to the previous year.

Last year, 57,729,971 passengers rode the Putra-LRT, 43,353,471 travelled on Star-LRT and 27,381,423 on KTM Komuter compared to 56,527,971, 39,084,943 and 24,645,493 respectively in 2003.

For January this year, 5,036,956 passengers used Putra-LRT compared to 4,653,587 passengers who used the service in January last year; 3,793,610 the Star-LRT against 3,428,478 in 2004; and 2,520,228 the KTM Komuter against 2,316,880 in 2004.

As for Internet dial-up subcriptions, there was a 5.6 per cent growth from 2.881 million subcribers in 2003 to 3.293 million in 2004 while the estimated number of Internet users increased from 9.444 million users in 2003 to 9.879 million in 2004.

The number of broadband subscriptions more than doubled from 110,406 subscribers in 2003 to 252,501 in 2004.

The number of cellular phone users increased from 11.124 million users in 2003 to 14.455 million the next year.

However, fixed telephone lines provided to residential property declined from 3.194 million subscribers in 2003 to 2.938 million in 2004.

The number of public pay phones also went down from 114,000 in 2003 to 105,000 in 2004.

Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd’s subsidiary Konsortium Lapangan Terjaya Sdn Bhd (KLT) is raising RM460 million in Islamic debt notes for the Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya highway.

United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd (UOB) and Alliance Merchant Bank Bhd are the joint principal advisers/lead arrangers for the issuance of up to RM460 million nominal value Islamic securities for the proposed 26km expressway.

The Islamic securities comprise of RM380 million Al-Bai Bithaman Ajil primary medium-term notes (BBA MTN) and up to RM80 million Murabahah commercial papers/medium-term notes programme (Murabahah CP/MTN Programme).

According to a statement issued by UOB, the funds raised would enable KLT to finance the development of the proposed highway, dubbed “The Gateway to the Nation”.

The highway is due to be completed in December 2007. It will link Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), the federal administrative centre at Putrajaya, the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) at Cyberjaya and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang via the North-South Expressway Central Link.

The highway will also link the Middle Ring Road I and The Middle Ring Road II to act as a dispersal link to relieve the traffic congestion along the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway from Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur.

The agreement was signed at a private signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on June 23.

Touch 'n Go with KTM Komuter

Effective July 1, 2005, you can now touch and go with KTM Komuter! Touch 'n Go Electronic Payment System lets you enjoy cashless and convenient way of paying for your KTM Komuter fare.

All you have to do is to touch in and out with your Touch 'n Go card and the fare will be automatically and accurately deducted from your card prepaid value. It is fast and hassle free.

http://www.touchngo.com.my/images/poster.jpg

RapidKL to break even mid-2006
Updated : 28-06-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : KANG SIEW LI



PUBLIC transport operator Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) expects to post a loss on revenue of some RM250 million for 2005 as it continues to invest in new technologies and services in its first year of operation.

RapidKL chief executive officer Rein Westra said the company should break even in the middle of next year.

¡§Of the revenue for 2005, 60 per cent will come from our light rail operations and the balance from our bus operations,¡¨ he told a news conference to mark the handing over of 82 new stage buses by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) to RapidKL in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Westra said RapidKL has been hit hard by the rising price of oil, which accounts for some 20 per cent of its total operating costs.

¡§If you compare our estimated fuel costs for RapidKL last year with the actual rates this year, inclusive of the subsidies we get from the Government, there was a difference of RM7 million. That¡¦s how bad we have been impacted by the rise in fuel costs,¡¨ he said.

He said the company wants discussions with suppliers to ensure more stable fuel prices and a sharing of the risk.

RapidKL started operations last November with the merging of the Putra and STAR light rail transit systems and Intrakota and Cityliner bus service.

It has been given the task of providing an integrated public transport system in the Klang Valley that incorporates the light rail and bus services.

Westra said the company will spend between RM150 million and RM200 million on 500 to 600 new stage buses in the next two years. Currently, it puts some 550 buses on the road daily.

The 82 new buses, costing RM10 million, are the first of RapidKL¡¦s many deliveries to come.

SPNB chief executive officer Shaipudin Shah Harun said the cost of the new buses will be borne by SPNB, which will receive a share of the revenue generated by RapidKL.

RapidKL and SPNB are both owned by the Minister of Finance Inc.

Shaipudin said that apart from the buses, SPNB will spend between RM1.5 billion and RM2 billion to acquire 50 to 70 new trains and extend its light rail network over the next four to five years.

¡§This will be done on a staggered basis. We are looking at constructing new LRT lines within three to four years and are expecting to identify the areas by late this year, he said.

Big Tree sees two digit sales growth
Updated : 03-03-2005
Media : The Star



BIG Tree Outdoor Sdn Bhd expects double-digit growth in sales for the financial year ending December 2005, boosted by new concessions the company hopes to secure by the latter half of this year, chief executive officer Suridah Jalaluddin said.

She was speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday after the signing ceremony with Semasa Sentral Sdn Bhd for the six-year concession for advertising rights at Stesen Sentral under its transit or Big Ride division.

The outdoor advertising specialist recorded 12% growth in sales in 2004 from RM39mil previously. Big Tree¡¦s expansion plans this year included Sabah and Sarawak as well as Johor, she said.

¡§We expect our new concessions for 2005 to contribute 7% to 10% to our revenue, which will result in growth in our market share,¡¨ general manager Mohammad Azlan Abdullah said. It estimated its market share last year at between 23% and 27%.

Suridah said the company also expected increased sales from its existing concessions by annually spending RM5mil across its four divisions, namely expressways, transit, retail and ambient media, to enhance their infrastructure.

Big Tree provides solutions for outdoor advertising and has a number of exclusive concessions with expressway, transportation and retail concessionaires that deliver constant exposure to the highest mobile audience in Malaysia.

Stesen Sentral, the interchange between Putra Light Rail Transit (LRT), KTM Komuter, KTM Intercity and the Express Rail Link (ERL) system, sees some 1.62 million commuters daily.

As such, advertisers have the potential of reaching business travellers, tourists, young urban professionals and students. About two million passengers arrive at Stesen Sentral via the ERL, of whom 40% are foreigners.

Big Tree projected the new concession to grow into a RM3mil per annum business within the next three years from a combination of advertising, retail and promotional activities, Suridah said.

The advertising packages at Stesen Sentral ranged from RM100,000 for three months to RM500,000 for between six months and a year, she added.

http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/5040/328079815gu.jpg

The great outdoors in Sentul East and West
Updated : 25-04-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : S.C. Cheah




THE scene: Parents helping their children fly colourful kites on a grassy patch while scores of people watched a Chinese drum performance on a mound. Many children later tried their hands beating the drums. The crowd later adjourned for a buffet dinner while clowns handed out balloons to the kids.

The venue: The 35-acre private park in Sentul West in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, April 16.

YTL Land & Development Bhd, the developer of the Sentul East and Sentul West projects had invited purchasers of its Tamarind and Maple condominiums to the park for a fun-filled outing. The aim was to enable them to enjoy Malaysia?s private park with their family members and friends.

The company had also invited members of the media for a barbecue buffet dinner at a camping site in the park the previous Saturday. The guests were also entertained to a musical performance. As night fell, they could see the top of the new two-tower Tamarind lighted up in Sentul East.

The above events are part of an ongoing awareness programme by the public-listed group that is creating a beautiful park out of an old nine-hole golf course.

YTL Corp Bhd deputy managing director Datuk Yeoh Seok Kian said having a golf course would only benefit a few people, but a park would bring a lot of joy to the residents.

Yeoh said there would also be guards on horsebacks patrolling the place. He said all units facing the park in the Maple condominium had been sold.

With so many new high-end condominiums and serviced apartments launched in the vicinity of KLCC, Yeoh feels that Sentul East and Sentul West have also much to offer. ?We?re only a third of their price,' he said.

Meanwhile phase 1 of the park and the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (converted from an old railway warehouse) will be completed in July and phase 2 (another 17 acres) at the end of next year. Phase 3 will be implemented progressively as the population starts to move into Sentul West.

YTL Land project manager Kon Chee Onn said the management had for the moment decided to allow only purchasers of properties in Sentul West to use the park as they had bought their units at a premium price.

For example, the two blocks of Maple condominiums under construction are priced around RM350 psf or from RM450,000 for a 3+1 bedroom, 1,500 sq ft unit, compared with an average of RM180 psf to RM230 psf for the Tamarind, comprising two high-rise blocks and two low-rise blocks with 498 units in Sentul East, slated to be the ?happening place?.

He said there would be another 18 condominium blocks in Sentul West and 16 blocks in Sentul East. When completed, the project will have some 7,000 units with 35,000 residents. The next condominium called Saffron (four blocks) will be launched this year.

Landscape architect Ng Sek San said 80 to 90 species of plants and shrubs were being planted in the park that would also have a Japanese garden and frog pond, among others.

?We aim to take a lot of the activities which we usually associate with indoor living, outdoors. Some examples are wedding receptions and dinners, outdoor reading and music room set in glass building with a forest or lake backdrop, meditation and yoga rooms, communal movie watching, outdoor napping rooms and outdoor beds and sofas, a koi library and resource centre,' he said.

?We also intend to allow condominium owners to have dogs by providing a dedicated pets area. Dogs are allowed in selected areas of the park. A petting zoo is planned for phase 3.'

He added that there would also be a series of themed walled gardens in phase 3, specialising in housing gingers, ferns, heliconias, herbs and orchids.

?We recently linked up a few ponds to create a larger water system which is ecologically more sustainable. This project is interesting because of its urban renewal and rejuvenation potential,' he said.

Librarian Hisyam Nelson, 47, who bought a RM229,000 three-bedroom and two-bathroom unit of the Tamarind is proud of his investment.

?The main reason I bought an apartment here is because of the YTL name. I know for certain that this developer can deliver,' he said, adding that Sentul was also very convenient for him and his family.

Nelson, who is staying in a two-bedroom flat in nearby Bandar Baru Sentul, finds that the 500-odd sq ft unit that he bought for about RM39,000 in 1987 is too small, especially now that his 12-year-old daughter is growing up and more space is needed. He plans to rent out his old flat and move to his 1,014 sq ft Tamarind apartment.

?At present, I can take an LRT train at the Sentul East station to the Mesjid Jamek station and then walk to the Klang bus station to catch a bus to my office at Phileo Damansara. When I move to my Tamarind unit, I can take a KTM commuter train to the Central Market and then take a bus to my office. I don?t need to drive and suffer in the traffic jams,' he added.

Having stayed in Sentul for so long, he just cannot bear to stay anywhere else, as all the amenities including Taman Titiwangsa are a few minutes' drive away. He is confident that the Tamarind will appreciate in value in view of its prime location.

According to a survey, many of the purchasers are from the Sentul area who are upgrading to a bigger and better condominium. The survey also finds that Bandar Baru Sentul is getting increasingly congested as more apartments are being built there.

The multi-billion ringgit development will also have a Sentul Skywalk, a pedestrian passageway that connects the Sentul KTM Komuter station to the Sentul Star LRT station.

KL transit system

http://img65.exs.cx/img65/8021/klmap10lu.jpg

Last two LRT firms accept Touch 'n Go
Updated : 12-07-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : LEONG SHEN-LI



The long-awaited common ticket¡± for all rail-based public transport in the Klang Valley will become reality with the last two operators agreeing to accept Touch 'n Go cards for fare payment.

The operators of KL Monorail (KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd) and KLIA Ekspres (Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd) have agreed to use the card along with KTM Komuter (KTM Bhd), Putra LRT and Star LRT (both operated by Rapid KL).

KL Monorail said commuters would be able to use the cards at their stations from August, while ERL has resumed testing the card readers at KL Sentral for implementation in the near future.

This development follows a front-page report in The Star on April 22 which said that RM10mil worth of Touch 'n Go equipment installed at KTM Komuter, monorail and ERL stations had been lying idle for more than one-and-a-half years.

This was because Touch 'n Go operator Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd and the five operators could not agree on the commission rate.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy responded to the article by saying he no longer wanted to listen to excuses as to why there was a delay in the implementation of the Touch 'n Go card as a common ticket.

KTM Komuter began using the card on July 1.

Prior to that, only Putra LRT accepted the card.

Star LRT adopted the system last year after it came under the same management as Putra LRT.

Sources said The Star's report and subsequent statements from Chan prompted the parties to arrive at ¡°an agreed commission rate¡± that was ¡°in between what the two sides wanted.

With the KL Monorail and ERL accepting the card, buses remain the only mode of public transport in the Klang Valley yet to accept the card for fare payment.

INTEGRATED TICKETING Thread - Touch N' Go fiasco! (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=205077)

Govt Wants More Public Transportation Firms To Introduce Pay Card
July 12, 2005 19:37 PM




http://bernama.com.my/bernama/newspic/ge/CHAN_KTMB_KAD.jpg

EASY… Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy (right) trying the
Touch 'n Go service at the entrance of the kommuter station after launching
the Touch 'n Go service for KTM Kommuter at KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur,
Tuesday. Also present are (from left) KTMB Managing Director Datuk Mohd
Salleh Abdullah, Rangkaian Segar Chairman Datuk Yahya Yaacob and
Transport Ministry Chief Secretary, Datuk Muhd Safaruddin Muhd Sidek. Pix: Md Mudanoran




KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) -- The government wants KL Monorail, Express Rail Link (ERL) and the Rapid KL bus service to introduce the Touch 'n Go pay card system as soon as possible in an effort to have one ticketing medium for all public transportation in the Klang Valley.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that to date the Touch 'n Go was available at PLUS expressway, KTM Kommuter, PUTRA LRT and STAR LRT while Monorail, ERL -- the speed rail link between the city centre and the KL International Airport via Putrajaya -- and Rapid KL have yet to introduce the system in their services.

"I hope Monorail and the ERL operators will hold discussions with Rangkaian Segar (the operator of the Touch 'n Go electronic payment system) soon to iron out problems in implementing the system. This is important to have an integrated payment system for public transportation in the Klang Valley," he said after launching the Touch 'n Go service for KTM Kommuter at KL Sentral here Tuesday.

He said that while the government had not set a deadline for the parties involved to implement the system, doing so would not only be beneficial for the companies involved but more importantly, it would be of great service to the people using public transportation in the Klang Valley.

"They (the companies involved) should not haggle over the commission, the interest of the people should be priority. The interest of the rakyat must be given due attention," he said.

On another note, the Transport Minister said the government had approved the dual electrical rail track from Sentul to Batu Caves, which was estimated to cost RM400 million.

The ministry was preparing the tender for the 7.2km electrical rail track project. Work on the project was expected to begin early next year and to be completed in 30 months, he said.

"With that portion completed, KTM Kommuter is expected to carry an additional 10,000 passengers a day. Presently there are 81,000 people using KTM Kommuter daily," said Chan.

He said the government was satisfied with the KTM Kommuter service, which began in 1995. Last year the rail service's ridership stood at 27.2 million and is expected to hit 30 million passengers this year.

Chan also quashed talk of the introduction of a second budget carrier, saying that he had "not heard anything about it." Monday, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli said that a low-cost airline would be set up and based at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh, which would be turned into a low-fare hub for domestic flights.

Tajol Rosli said that an investor had indicated interest in operating the airline in joint venture with Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd.

"I have not heard anything about it yet but I don't think it is necessary to have a second budget carrier," Chan said.

Malaysia now has one no-frills airline -- Air Asia -- which is spreading its wings not only to major domestic destinations but also important regional international airports.

Meanwhile, Rangkaian Segar chairman Datuk Yahya Yaacob said the Touch 'n Go electronic payment system operator was poised to increase its customer base from the present 2 million to 2.5 million by the end of the year.

"Our goal is to support the government's vision of creating a cashless society by promoting the electronic payment method," he said in his speech at the launch.

-- BERNAMA

Work on Batu Caves link to start next year
Updated : 13-07-2005
Media : The Star




Work on the long-awaited KTM Komuter extension from Sentul to Batu Caves will begin early next year and be completed in 2008.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the Government would proceed with the RM400mil project to enhance the public transport network in the Klang Valley.

The extension, when completed, should add a further 10,000 passengers to KTM Komuter's current 81,000 users, he told a press conference after a ceremony to mark the start of the use of Touch 'n Go cards on the KTM Komuter system at KL Sentral here yesterday.

The 7.2km extension from Sentul to Batu Caves which involves the building of a second track, electrification, stations and signalling was first announced in 1998 but postponed numerous times. The line will have four stations Batu Cantonment, Batu Village, Taman Wahyu and Batu Caves.

The 153km KTM Komuter service consists of two lines Sentul-Port Klang and Seremban-Rawang. The two lines intersect in Kuala Lumpur.

Chan said the tender and technical papers for the project was now being prepared.

Besides serving the residents in the area, the Sentul-Batu Caves line will also be used by tourists and Thaipusam pilgrims, he said.

He added that KTM Komuter was expected to carry more than 30 million passengers this year, up from 27.2 million last year.

On the use of Touch 'n Go on public transport, Chan said public transport operators and the card's operator Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd should agree on implementing the system quickly.

The Star yesterday reported that the last two rail-based public transport operators in the Klang Valley KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd and Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd ¨had agreed to accept the card.

While KL Monorail said it would start accepting the card in August, ERL has not given a commencement date.

Electrified Double Track Project Sentul - Batu Caves
source : http://www.ktmb.com.my/article.cfm?id=47



In line with the Government’s Policy to alleviate road congestion and enhance the existing public transportation system, it has become indispensable to extend the existing Klang Valley Commuter Network to Batu Caves. Upon completion, residence in the Selayang/Gombak municipality would benefit from a high capacity railway service that would also serve as an alternative means for road transportation. The existing single track route will be upgraded to a double track and equipped with new infrastructure, i.e., new bridges, underpasses, drainage systems, new Sentul and Batu Caves Stations, new halts at Taman Wahyu, Kampung Batu and Batu Kentonmen, overhead electrification system 25kV AC (single phase) including modern signalling and communication system. The project is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2004 and expected to complete within a period of 30 months.



Sentul - Batu Caves EDT Project



http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/423/edtbcaves.jpg



Perspective View

1) Typical Halt



http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/424/bcave1.jpg



2) Batu Caves Station



http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/424/bcave2.jpg

KTM Komuter project a much cherished experience for Mohd Zain
BY SHARIDAN M. ALI
Monday June 27, 2005




THE establishment of Malaysia’s electric train service, KTM Komuter, gave Mohd Zain Mat Taha, 41, some of the best memories in his 15-year career with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).

“The mega project tested my perseverance, intelligence and moulded me into what I am today,” said the KTMB regional manager (northern region).

Mohd Zain was one of the managers involved in the initial planning right up to the launch of the dual-track electric train service 10 years ago.





http://202.186.86.35/maritime/news/2005/6/27/maritime/p26MohdZain.jpg

Mohd Zain ...relished getting the opportunity to learn
foreign rail technology – Picture by ONG SOON HIN





He relished getting the opportunity to learn foreign rail technology even though the task at hand was challenging.

“We had to make some modifications to the foreign technology to ensure that the system suited the Klang Valley’s different geographical structure and town planning.

”During the various stages of development from 1992 until the KTM Komuter service was launched in August 1995, I learnt a lot about forecasting and dealing with public authorities,” he said.

Mohd Zain said he would never forget the first KTM Komuter run from Rawang to Kuala Lumpur which saw hordes of people gathering at the train stations to experience a free ride on the new electric trains.

”We had to call in the authorities to control the huge crowd. Thinking about that day still makes me smile. It was the pinnacle of all the hard work we had put in.

“To my team and I, the success of the launch felt like we’ve just delivered a newborn baby. We completely forgot all the hardships that we went through to get the project off the ground.

”I truly believe that the hardships I withstood during that period helped in strengthening my character and my resolve to do my best in career,” he said.

As far as the logistics industry is concerned, Mohd Zain is lucky to have been put in charge of the northern region because 90% of freight activities and revenue come from the north of Malaysia.

As manager for the northern region, he said his day-to-day responsibilities revolved around four crucial matters.

“First, I have to ensure effective management in terms of operations, administration, development and human resources.

“Other than that, the most important thing is to supervise customer service as freight service customers are different from passenger service.

“In the logistics industry we are also friends and affiliates so I have to play my role professionally,” he said, adding it was his job to identify and understand the needs of KTMB’s customers such as shipping agents, forwarders, ports, factories, transport operators and international clients.

“The next aspect of my work is the planning and monitoring of the operational trades as well as passengers in the northern region,” he said.

He said in rail logistics KTMB needed to have assets such as locomotives and wagons that could be distributed to clients at the right time and place.

“This is crucial as trains are not the only means of transportation.

“Lastly, I must make sure all 1,000 staff under me are capable of doing their tasks as I expect them to be competent and skilful.

“As a manager I believe in creativity and initiative. I do not want my staff to wait for instructions; they must have their own initiative to make wise decisions,” he added.

Mohd Zain is an advance diploma holder in business administration (transport) from Universiti Teknologi MARA and his first post in KTMB was a good training ground.

“I was initially the marketing and operations executive in Padang Besar and Butterworth from 1990 to 1992.

“It was a golden opportunity for me to implement what I have learnt as logistics is a major part of business there and could be considered one of the busiest rail terminal in Malaysia,” he said.

The Kota Baru-born Mohd Zain likes camping and jungle trekking.

“I enjoy the greenery and fresh air as they create a balance between my work and my personal life,” he said.

He is married to homemaker, Faridah Muhammad and they have been blessed with three children; Siti Ainul Farzana, 8, Ahmad Faisal, 7, and Muhammad Amin Haekal, 4.

KTM Komuter - Route

http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/721/commrt230804.jpg

Legend:

http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/721/sign1.jpg : Interchange Station

http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/721/sign2.jpg : Station

http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/721/sign3.jpg : Seremban - Rawang Route

http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/721/sign4.jpg : Sentul - Pel. Klang Route

2) Batu Caves Station



http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/424/bcave2.jpg

Sentul - Batu Caves Commuter Line Halts & Commuter Station
by veritas : http://www.veritas.com.my/port_varc_transp/trans_13sentul.htm


Proposed three halts and an end station at an environmentally and historically sensitive site as an extension of the Kuala Lumpur commuter line located in Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur.



http://www.veritas.com.my/port_varc_transp/trans_131sentul_big.gif

http://www.veritas.com.my/port_varc_transp/trans_132sentul_big.gif

New names to integrate LRT network
By CHOW HOW BAN
Friday July 22, 2005



http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/7/22/central/m_pg08westra.jpg

Westra (third from left) with (from left) Rapid KL (buses) chief
operating officer Mohamad Ali Mohamad Nor, Rapid KL (rail-based services)
chief operating officer Ridza Abdoh Salleh and senior general manager for
marketing Zoolina Mohd Naim with a poster touting the new cards.



KELANA Jaya, Ampang and Seri Petaling lines. These are the new names for the existing light rail transit network (LRT) after Rapid KL's takeover of the LRT systems and much of Klang Valley's bus routes in November last year.

Kelana Jaya Line has replaced the Putraline which runs from Terminal Putra to Kelana Jaya.

The Starline route between Ampang and Sentul Timur has been renamed Ampang Line while the one between Seri Petaling and Sentul Timur is called Seri Petaling Line.

Rapid KL chief executive officer Rein Westra said the renaming exercise was part of the company's efforts to integrate Putraline and Starline into a single LRT network.

“This is an important step to communicate with our commuters and passengers that we are now one integrated LRT and bus system. Putraline and Starline (emblems) will be phasing out and more signages on Kelana Jaya, Ampang and Seri Petaling lines will be introduced,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Besides the change of names, Westra also announced the introduction of four integrated ticketing products with the aim to encourage cashless and convenient travelling on LRT trains and Rapid KL buses.

The four integrated cards are:


- Monthly Rapid KL Integrated LRT & Bus Card which allows unlimited travel on all LRT and Rapid KL stage and feeder bus routes; spouses and four children below 15 years old will enjoy free travelling services on weekends and public holidays; RM125

- Monthly Rapid KL Bus Card which allows unlimited travel on all buses across all zones; RM80

- Monthly Rapid KL Integrated LRT Card which allows unlimited travel on all LRT lines; RM90

- Monthly Rapid KL Concession Bus Card which allows unlimited travel on all bus routes; applicable for school children and senior citizens aged above 60; RM40

All cardholders need to do is flash their cards to bus drivers and personnel at LRT stations when using the integrated card system to travel around the Klang Valley.

The present Putra, Star and Combi MTC (Monthly Travel Cards) used by commuters will be replaced by the new cards.

The cards will be available at Pasarama bus station, Jalan Sultan Muhammad bus counter, Jalan Silang bus stop and all LRT stations, from July 24 onwards.

Single and return tickets are still available for occasional commuters and passengers. A campaign will be held at LRT stations over the next few weeks to explain the benefits of the cards.

Currently, there are 12,000 Star MTC holders, 25,000 Putra MTC holders and 7,000 bus card users, all of which only make up about 7% of the total users of the Rapid KL system.

“We hope that the buyers of MTC will continue to buy the new cards and at the same time we aim to increase the number of new cardholders.

“We think this is the way to move forward. It is not so much about how many people we are going to capture but the value is the thought of moving around with an integrated card and public transport system,” said Westra.

He said commuters might be surprised with how much they could save if they use the monthly cards to travel to and fro downtown for appointments, meetings and lunch.

He said the company would look into the possibilities of working with other providers like Express Rail Link (ERL) to introduce daily or tour ticketing package for tourists for a more convenient travelling experience.

Westra also revealed that some 120 new buses would roll out to the road soon.

When asked about proposals to build new LRT stations in Puchong, Rapid KL (rail-based services) chief operating officer Ridza Abdoh Salleh said the company had also heard about such suggestions but everything was still in the proposal stage.

I have been thinking, and eventually thought of a probable line for KL city serving: Bandar Puteri, Bukit Rimau, Kota Kemuning, Sri Muda, USJ, Subang Jaya, Saujana, SS2, Damansara Jaya, Damansara Utama, Bandar Utama, Kepong and Sentul.

Stations:
Bandar Puteri terminal *
Bukit Rimau
Kota Kemuning
Sri Muda
Gamuda Hicom
USJ
Subang Jaya (interchange to Komuter (B) Pel Klang-Sentul/Batu Caves)
Saujana (interchange to extended Kelana Jaya line (E) )
Kelana Jaya (interchange to Kelana Jaya line (E) )
SS2
Damansara Jaya
Damansara Utama
Bandar Utama
[ FUTURE STATION ]
Penchala
Kepong (interchange to Komuter (A) Tanjong Malim/Rawang-Seremban)
...
Sentul terminal** (interchange to Komuter (B) Pel Klang-Sentul/Batu Caves)

*Line may be extended to Bandar Botanic in Klang
**Line may be extended to Sentul Timur for Ampang and Sri Petaling lines or even Setiawangsa for Kelana Jaya line

Hey mrtfreak! Welcome to the forum! :cucumber:

I remember coming across an article about KTM’s proposal for an outer rail ring or something like that, which pretty much covers the areas that you mentioned (except S. Alam and Klang areas). Hopefully it includes Cheras and all as well. It would be great if the line works out, but presently it remains mere hearsay.

About Subang Jaya, the Komuter station there has good potential to become a multi-modal interchange for taxis, intra and intercity busses and hopefully LRT lines. :)

Thanks argory.

Hmmm, I was thinking of a system similar to PUTRA/Kelana Jaya line with four carriages right from the start. What is the trademark for good metro service planning? Serve housing areas on both sides of the line and pass throught the city in the middle. You get maximised passenger usage that way.

The line I have in mind, I think it woul work especially if they could intergrate the stations like Damansara Jaya and Bandar Utama with the shopping malls The Atria and One Utama. Then more people would use the system to go to these places.

SubangJaya station has a lot of potential. They should do a pilot project there and start by building a bus interchange. A place where busses serving different parts of SJ can come and people can swap services there. They can also take the train to the city. I'd like to see if the Singapore model will work in Malaysia.

http://www.veritas.com.my/port_varc_transp/trans_132sentul_big.gif
Is the platfom at that station elevated? I think the Komuter should go elevated, then there will be more space under the track should they want to use it for parking, etc.

Thanks argory.

Hmmm, I was thinking of a system similar to PUTRA/Kelana Jaya line with four carriages right from the start. What is the trademark for good metro service planning? Serve housing areas on both sides of the line and pass throught the city in the middle. You get maximised passenger usage that way.

The line I have in mind, I think it woul work especially if they could intergrate the stations like Damansara Jaya and Bandar Utama with the shopping malls The Atria and One Utama. Then more people would use the system to go to these places.

SubangJaya station has a lot of potential. They should do a pilot project there and start by building a bus interchange. A place where busses serving different parts of SJ can come and people can swap services there. They can also take the train to the city. I'd like to see if the Singapore model will work in Malaysia.


Yeah, it would be good to use Putraline’s technology for all future lines if possible. There’s this Damansara line proposed in the Draft Structural Plan KL 2020. From the maps provided, it seems to start either from KTM’s existing line near Merdeka Square, or from a new loop line close to it. The maps are a bit conflicting actually.

The line then travels west to Damansara-Penchala, passing by Pusat Bandar Damasara and One Utama also. I think central KL has sufficient stations for the moment; it’s the suburbs that need more attention now.

It surprises me that for its size, SJ still lacks a decent bus terminal. Apparently there are about 2.5 cars per household. By the way, the draft structural plan for Selangor is out as I found out at http://www.usj.com.my/bulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=8505.

Is the platfom at that station elevated? I think the Komuter should go elevated, then there will be more space under the track should they want to use it for parking, etc.

The Batu Caves line will have several elevated sections to replace a few level crossings. I suspect that the elevated station is probably Batu Caves station as it’s very close to a level crossing. I need to grab some photos of the present wooden station before it’s gone lar.

I like the LIM train technology for several reasons. :)

Yeah, the suburbs need more attention. KL city has sufficient coverage. I'd like to be able to take the train to One Utama. I remember when I used to stay at Kota Kemuning, it was very hard to get out if you don't have a car. I think having a rail-based transport netwrok at new estates like those will be a bost to sales as well.

What I'd like to see is a LRT line like those in Singapore being implemented in SJ. :) That will be very cool. I can for see a station at the SJMC, maybe even going all the way down to Sunway?

Comming soon http://www.rapidkl.com.my/

Comming soon http://www.rapidkl.com.my/

FINALLY!!! Do update us on when it becomes online...

Its about time there is a RapidKL portal... It sucks having to go to the STAR & PUTRA website individually...

RapidKL is a smart idea...

Etika Strategi Rep To Be Included In DRB-Hicom Board
Updated : 02-06-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : ZURAIMI ABDULLAH




DRB-Hicom Bhd chairman, Tan Sri Mohd Saleh Sulong says the nomination committee of the DRB-Hicom group will meet Friday to consider a recommendation to include a representative of Etika Strategi Sdn Bhd to the board.

He, however, declined to name the candidate nominated by Etika Strategi, which has emerged as a substantial shareholder in DRB-Hicom after completing the acquisition of a 15.8 percent stake in DRB-Hicom last month.

"Let's wait a while, build up the suspense a bit," he said in jest, after launching the 1.6 litre, eight-passenger multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) Suzuki APV, here Wednesday.

Etika Strategi is owned by business tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary. It was reported that Syed Mokhtar is likely to be appointed to the DRB-Hicom board.

Mohd Saleh also said that the committee would also deliberate on another recommendation that involved reduction in the number of DRB-Hicom's board members, currently standing at 14.

"We feel that there is a need to downsize the number. Fourteen is too many," he said, declining to elaborate.

The recommendations, if approved are subject to the approval of the board of DRB-Hicom, which will meet next Tuesday.

On another note, Mohd Saleh said, the national automotive policy should consider the interest of national car manufacturers, assemblers and importers of completely-built-up (CBU) cars.

"We just like the government to take the interest of all three because they make up the entire car industry.

"Of course, I agree that it should be relative to investment (made) as some people say," he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said that the government, in formulating the policy would consider the views of all players of the automotive industry.

On whether cars imported by DRB-Hicom companies were among those investigated by the authorities for under-declaration of their values, Mohd Saleh said: "None to my knowledge."

Asked on the extension of the KTM Komuter rail spanning 7.2 km from Sentul to Batu Caves, he said although the government has now decided to get on with the project, DRB-Hicom may not be involved in its construction.

The group had previously expressed interest to participate or undertake the project, that was planned to accommodate current demand especially during Thaipusam festival.

"We have not been disqualified but we are reassessing our position vis-a-vis the train project," he said.

On another note, Mohd Saleh said DRB-Hicom was considering a plan to locally assemble the Suzuki Swift and the Suzuki APV.

The APV, is competitively priced at RM69,880.00 for the automatic version and RM61,888.00 for the manual transmission (both without insurance). As such, it is expected to see some cross over from potential buyers of the 1.3 litre Toyata Avanza and the 1.8 litre and 2.0 litre Toyota Innova.

Mohd Saleh said monthly sales of at least 200 units of the Suzuki APV is targeted each month, representing five percent share of the MPV market in Malaysia.

DRB-Hicom to downsize board
Updated : 13-07-2005
Media : The Edge
Story By : Nadia S Hassan




DRB-Hicom Bhd chairman Tan Sri Mohd Saleh Sulong said there was a need to downsize the company 14-member board, amid speculation that its major shareholder Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary may be appointed to the board.

There will be a meeting by the nomination committee this Friday, where this proposal would be put forward.

This will be followed by a board meeting that will take place next Tuesday, Mohd Saleh told reporters after the launch of Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd Suzuki APV (all-purpose vehicle) 1.6 in Shah Alam on July 13.

While Mohd Saleh declined to mention how many members the new board of directors would have, a source close to the company said factors that could decide who might be dropped from the board could be their age and whether any particular member was a shareholder.

It has been reported that Syed Mokhtar, whose private entity Etika Strategi Sdn Bhd is a major shareholder of DRB-Hicom, was likely to be appointed a board member.

Mohd Saleh confirmed that he expected at least one representative of Etika Strategi to be appointed.

On another matter, Mohd Saleh said DRB-Hicom had indicated its interest to participate in the KTM Komuter extension project from Sentul to Batu Caves worth RM400 million, but was doubtful it would be awarded the project. We may not get it, he said.

Asked if DRB-Hicom may be disqualified from the project due to its history with the multi-billion ringgit double-track railway project between Rawang and Ipoh, he denied that was the case.

Earlier in his speech, Mohd Saleh said Suzuki Malaysia was targeting to sell at least 200 units of the new APV per month, subject to the availability of stocks from Indonesia.

He said this represented a 5% share of the multipurpose vehicle market. The Suzuki APV sells for RM61,888 and RM69,888 for manual and automatic models respectively.

He also gave an update on the sales of the Suzuki Swift which was launched two months ago, saying that 272 units had been registered with 529 units of orders in hand.

RM400m railway project viable, says KTMB :
Updated : 02-02-2005
Media : Business Times



KTM Bhd (KTMB) is confident that the proposed RM400 million electrified double-tracking railway project between Sentul and Batu Caves in Selangor is viable and can provide capital returns within a reasonable time.

KTMB managing director Datuk Mohd Salleh Abdullah said besides Batu Caves as a tourist attraction, the KTM Komuter service will also be the transportation mode of choice for residents in the area.

He said KTMB has already made a proposal to undertake the project to the Government and is now waiting for approval.

¡§We are confident that it is a profitable project and can provide additional public transport services along the route, thereby reducing congestion on the road. We hope the Government can give its approval soon, he added.

Mohd Salleh said financing for the project will be from funds allocated for KTMB under the Eighth Malaysia Plan, adding that construction of the 7.5km railway, if approved, will take about 30 months to complete.

He said this to Berita Harian after a ceremony to celebrate the 1.5 millionth passenger at the Mid Valley commuter station yesterday.

Since KTMB began its commuter service at Mid Valley last August, the number of passengers has increased steadily and helped contribute business at the shopping mall.

Based on the passenger growth, KTMB can recoup its RM11 million investment in the Mid Valley station within three years, Mohd Salleh said.

The Mid Valley KTM Komuter station now handles 10,000 passengers a day, which rise to between 15,000 and 16,000 during the weekends.

We expect to handle a total of four million passengers this year, he said.

Mohd Salleh also said that KTMB plans to open a new commuter station in Kepong Sentral worth RM11 million at the end of this year.

Last year, KTM Komuter services contributed RM66.4 million in revenue to KTMB, an increase from RM59.2 million in 2003.

The RapidKL website is now ONLINE.

LRT ROUTE

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Kuala Lumpur Rail Transit System

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NOW you can travel across the RAPID KL
network in the most efficient way by using the Monthly Travel Card.

http://www.rapidkl.com.my/images/mtcroadshow_smll.jpg

Choose from the four cards most convenient for your travel needs.

Integrated LRT and Bus monthly Travel Card
Integrated LRT Monthly Travel Card
Bus Monthly Travel Card
Bus Concession Monthly Travel Card

http://www.rapidkl.com.my/images/mtclrtnbus_rm125kad_smll.jpg

LRT & BUS MTC - RM125.00
Seamless Travel !

This Monthly Travel Ticket is the smartest way to travel with us on both Bus
and the LRT for JUST RM125 per month.

Benefits!
Unlimited travel on the RAPID KL bus and feeder bus system and the LRT
lines, namely the Kelana Jaya Line, Ampang Line and Sri Petaling Line
(previously known as the PUTRA Line and STAR Line) all day and throughout
the month.
Family namely, spouse and (4) children age 15 years and below of the MTC
holder are entitled to an unlimited travel on any RAPID KL LRT, bus and
Feeder bus systems during weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and gazette
public holidays only.

http://www.rapidkl.com.my/images/mtclrt_rm90kad_smll.jpg

LRT MTC - RM90.00

Unlimited Travel !

The RAPID KL Integrated LRT system Monthly Travel Pass is valid on all lines
priced at only RM90 per month!.

Benefits!
'One LRT ticket' to travel across PJ, Gombak, Sentul, Ampang and Sri
Petaling.

http://www.rapidkl.com.my/images/mtcbus_rm80_smll.jpg

BUS MTC - RM80.00

Value for Money !

Travel anywhere you like across all zones! The RAPID KL bus system takes
you there at a saving for just RM80 per month!.

Benefits!
Unlimited travel on the RAPID KL Bus and Feeder Bus System all day,
throughout the month.

http://www.rapidkl.com.my/images/mtcbuskonsesi_rm40_smll.jpg

CONCESSION MTC - RM40

Travel at Half The Price !

We take care of our Senior Citizens* and school going children*. Get the
concession monthly travel ticket now at RM40 !.
Note 1US dollar = 3.8 RM

Five new bus routes to cater to demand
Friday September 2, 2005




FOLLOWING requests from commuters, Klang Valley bus operator Rapid KL has introduced five new bus routes.

Three of the routes serve Putrajaya and Cyberjaya while the other two operate along Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur (see chart), it said in a statement recently.

The services began last month.

Of the three Cyberjaya routes, two of them – Routes 50 and 50A – start from the Cyberjaya Transport Terminal.

The third – Route SUT2 – runs from Bukit Jalil light rail transit (LRT) station to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya.

Rapid KL chief operating officer for bus operations, Mohd Ali Mohd Nor said Route SUT2 was introduced as an alternative to Route 868 which operated directly from Sinar Kota in Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya.

“As demand is very high for Route 868, we introduced Route SUT2 served by four buses to provide further options for the public to travel to Cyberjaya,” he said.

He said the two Jalan Tun Razak routes served several important buildings such as the National Library, National Art Gallery, Pasarakyat, National Heart Institute and Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Despite being major public buildings, there were previously no buses plying that route.

All five routes operate according to fixed schedules.

With the new routes, Rapid KL now operates 98 stage bus and 39 feeder bus services.

Rapid KL also announced that five existing routes would now operate according to fixed schedules.

Depending on the route, the frequency of buses ranges from 45 minutes to one hour.

Timetables have been put up at all bus-stops served by the routes.

For more information, visit Rapid KL’s website www.rapidkl.com.my or call 1800-388-228.

Note 1US dollar = 38 Ringgit[/SIZE]
waa... since when? ha haa must b typo here..

Star Lrt on the way to Bandar Tun Razak Station
by Yus Rant

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View Pusat Kegiatan Masyarakat Bandar Tun Razak

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Rapid KL launches new bus routes
Saturday September 10, 2005
By SUEN ONG




IT WILL be a breeze for residents from densely populated Sri Petaling, Pandan Indah and Bandar Tasik Selatan to travel into the city centre when Rapid KL’s integrated bus and rail service goes full swing this month.

A total of 14 new buses have been mobilised to ply four new routes currently without any bus service.

The new services, which operate from 6am to 11.30pm, will ferry commuters to stations along the Ampang and Sri Petaling LRT lines.

Rapid KL chief operating officer (buses) Mohd Ali Mohd Nor said the buses were scheduled to arrive every 15 minutes, and for travellers’ convenience, the bus-stops were located not more than 250m from their doorsteps.





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CEO Rein Westra said: “These four new routes mark the first phase of the company’s rail backbone plan which is to feed more people from housing areas to the LRT stations near them, via bus service.”

According to Westra, there are more than 12,000 people residing in the vicinity of Route 301 and 55,000 over at the southern side of the Pandan Indah LRT station, which is Route 302 (refer to map).

He said residents in other parts of Klang Valley could expect a similar service within the next six to nine months, in line with the company’s objectives to reduce travel time by providing efficient bus and rail services.

For more details on bus and LRT routes, visit www.rapidkl.com.myor call 1-800-388 228.

Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERLSB), the concessionaire for the high-speed KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit train services, recently welcomed the 10 millionth passenger using its train services. The celebration ended the three-month "Are You the ONE?" search for the 10 millionth passenger.
Passengers travelling on the 10:00am KLIA Ekspres train departing from KLIA to KL Sentral were pleasantly surprised by an announcement on board informing them that someone on that train would be the lucky 10tn millionth passenger as they walked through the gates in KL Sentral, and would take home two Malaysia Airlines Business Class return air tickets to New York and 100 free trips on KLIA Ekspres. To heighten the excitement, the passengers were not told who had won on that day, but the five passengers closest to the count would be invited back to a Celebratory Dinner where the winner would be announced.On arrival in KL Sentral, all passengers onboard the wining train were greeted by traditional Malaysian kompang and a silat performance, followed by refreshments.This event also concluded the Guess The ONE Date contest, where participants tried to guess the date, time and direction in which the 10 millionth passenger would be travelling. The contest, which ran from 1 August 2005 till 15 September 2005, offered two Air France-KLM Business Class return air tickets to Jakarta and 100 free trips on KLIA Ekspres.At the press conference, Dr Aminuddin Adnan, Chief Executive Officer of ERLSB, noted that the 99.7% service reliability record was instrumental in building the public's confidence in both the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit services.
"We are proud to welcome our 10 millionth passenger in just three years of service. This is a result of the 14,000 passengers daily on both train services who know that we really are the fastest way to travel" he said.

Express Rail Link Bhd (ERL), which operates the express and transit train services between KL Sentral and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, is wooing Singapore Airlines and Emirates to set up a city check-in facility to boost its ridership.

ERL chief executive Dr Aminuddin Adnan said responses from the two airlines were expected within the next few months.

Speaking to Malaysian reporters on Sunday at the World Route Development Forum in Copenhagen, he said ERL was also targeting other airlines to have their check-in facility at KL Sentral.

Currently daily, some 1,000 passengers of three airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Royal Brunei Airlines, are using the city check-in facility.

“If Singapore Airlines comes in, then there is a potential for at least 500 additional passengers daily,” he said.

He said apart from getting airlines to set up a city check-in facility at the railway station, ERL would be offering discounts to travellers using the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore shuttle service starting October.

“We will be running a few campaigns during the festive seasons up to next year’s Formula 1 race in Sepang,” he said.

He said ERL had seen a 10% increase in ridership for its KL Ekspres service and 40% for the KL Transit up to August this year mainly due to new airlines operating at KLIA and also its various promotions.

ERL carries 13,000 passengers daily comprising 6,000 on KL Ekspres and another 7,000 who used its KLIA Transit.

“The recent increase in ridership was due to our efforts in wooing Arab tourists to use the KL Ekspres services at the recent Arab Travel Fair and also the promotions for the KL Transit at Putrajaya.”

“In addition, we ran several major advertisement promotions during the period,” he said.

Transportation plan outlined in PSKL 2020

http://www.dbkl.gov.my/pskl2020/english/transportation/index.htm

I guess the Damansara-Cheras LRT will use a compatible rolling stocks with Ampang Line as this line utilizes the same Ampang Line track between Sultan Ismail and Maluri before spurring south to Kajang.

Bad the sad thing is, there is not indication when the construction will start :(

Anyway, it is a enjoyable material to read. Happy reading....

Rapid KL goes places
Monday October 10, 2005


RAPID KL extended its service to Taman Bukit Cheras and its surrounding areas from Bandar Tasik Selatan LRT Station.

The new Route 401 covers areas in Taman Bukit Cheras, Taman Okid Desa, Taman Connaught, Taman Danau Bakti, Taman Danau Budi, Taman Bukit Anggerik, Taman Alam Damai and Kampung Midah Dalam.

Six buses will be plying the 31km-long route at 15-minute intervals. Bus fare is fixed at RM0.90 for areas within Zone One and RM1.50 for areas in Zone Two.

It is welcomed by residents as it benefits not only Star LRT commuters, but also those who travel by KTM and ERL.

Taman Bukit Cheras MCA chairman Lim Heng Lin, at a recent press conference, said residents were satisfied with Rapid KL’s latest extension of service.

Lim said he forwarded the proposal to Rapid KL to extend its services to the said areas in March.

He said for the convenience of passengers, he hoped the company would come out with a card system that would enable its customers to travel in all the vehicles under its umbrella.





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Lim (right) checking out a route on a Rapid KL bus.




Also present were Rapid KL bus operation general manager Khairuddin Sulaiman and Rangkaian Pengang-kutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd marketing division senior general manager Zoolina Naim.

“We received overwhelming requests from the public to have bus service in this area. We started with 140 passengers when we launched the service on Sept 12, now we have over 389 passengers per day,” Khairuddin said.

“We hope in the next three months, we will have 1,000 passengers per day,” he added.

Zoolina said the company had been able to communicate more closely with residents and its associations through Mobility Marketing, adding that flyers on the new route had been distributed in housing areas either directly or through mailing service.

“We believe that with more awareness and better consistency, the public will trust our service and more will opt to use public transport and leave their cars behind,” she said.

She also urged residents to set up their own residents’ association to collate information on public transport and call the toll free line to give their feedback.

The company has also launched Route 301, 302 and 402.

Route 301 covers Terminal Taman Daging, Taman Nirwana, Kampung Pandan Dalam and Taman Cempaka and stops at Pandan Indah LRT Station.

Route 302 covers Lembah Maju from Pandan Indah, Pandan Mewah, Taman Muda, Kampung Tasek Tambahan, Taman Putra, Taman Bukit Teratai, Taman Mega Jaya, Taman Melur, Taman Permai Jaya, Taman Seraya, Jalan Pandan Indah 1/1 and the Pandan Indah LRT Station.

Route 402 covers Taman Sri Petaling to Kondo Rakyat, Mutiara Bukit Jalil, Damai Apartments, Areana Green Apartment to Sri Petaling LRT Station.

High Power Locomotive

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From Rentas

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the last time i heard ( not mistaken la..) about Star LRT is that they gonna extend the line from Bkt Jalil all the way to Puchong through Kinrara..izzit true? :?

^^ Yes....that should be the extention plan......but now nothing concrete yet :cry:

^^ I wonder why?? Most money gone to KL-Putrajaya Highway? Tsk!!

^^ :lol:

Conference to review development progress
- Property Times 24 September 2005 issue -


A national conference to be held on Oct 3 is bound to attract all those interested in human development - from policy makers to professionals, academicians and members of non-governmental bodies. To be held at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel & Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the event entitled “The Millennium Goals and the City” is being organised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Housing Research (Earoph) in conjunction with World Habitat Day Malaysia 2005.

World Habitat Day is an annual event designated by the United Nations to focus on the state of human settlements and the basic right of adequate shelter for all.

This year, Governments around the world have been asked to assess the progress they have made in six areas: Poverty eradication; illiteracy; hunger; unsafe water; disease; and urban and environmental degradation.

World leaders committed themselves to tackle these issues during a meeting at the dawn of the new millennium five years ago.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting will deliver the keynote address and a number of prominent speakers, both local and foreign, will present papers on urban housing, transportation, energy and water resources.

They include Broadland Housing Ltd chief executive Michael Newey from the United Kingdom who will speak on “Urban Living: Housing for the Urban Poor”; Town and Country Planning Department director-general Datuk Mohd Fadzil Mohd Khir whose paper is “Planning for a Safe and Healthy City”; and National University of Singapore’s Dr Abdul Rahman Paul Barter, who will make a presentation on “Transportation Planning and Transport Systems”.

^^ Did anyone from SSC attend this?

Good news guys!!!

RM800 juta untuk tingkat keupayaan PUTRA

Oleh KHAIRUDDIN MD. AMIN

KUALA LUMPUR 4 Nov. - Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. (SPNB) memerlukan kira-kira RM800 juta dalam masa dua tahun bagi meningkatkan keupayaan Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik (PUTRA) yang kini hampir digunakan sepenuhnya.

Pengerusi Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. (SPNB), Datuk Nordin Baharuddin berkata, pihaknya telah melantik sebuah firma juru runding kejuruteraan bagi mendapatkan khidmat nasihat untuk meningkatkan kapasiti PUTRA.

Kami tidak boleh tunggu lama dan dalam masa dua tahun, kapasiti PUTRA perlu ditambah.

Kalau hendak tambah sebanyak 50 peratus, kami kena tambah 18 tren baru atau pun 18 gerabak (yang disambung antara tren sedia ada).

Kami juga hendak tahu adakah kami boleh mendapatkan tren atau pun gerabak ini daripada pembekal lain selain Bombardier,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini baru-baru ini.

SPNB merupakan syarikat milik kerajaan yang mengurus dan mentadbir infrastruktur pengangkutan negara termasuk PUTRA.

PUTRA berkemampuan membawa sehingga 180,000 orang sehari dan kini perkhidmatan transit aliran ringan (LRT) itu membawa kira-kira 170,000 orang sehari.

Ia menyediakan perkhidmatan untuk satu laluan sahaja tetapi menerusi kawasan penduduk berkepadatan tinggi dengan 24 buah stesen hentian daripada Kelana Jaya ke Gombak.

Sebuah lagi perkhidmatan LRT, Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan (STAR) memiliki kapasiti sehingga 500,000 orang sehari namun ia hanya membawa kira-kira 130,000 orang sehari.

STAR pula menyediakan dua laluan perkhidmatan daripada Sentul Timur ke Sri Petaling dan ke Ampang. Ia melalui 25 stesen hentian.

PUTRA beroperasi dengan 35 tren manakala STAR pula mengendalikan 30 tren.

Ditanya tentang pembiayaan untuk meningkatkan kapasiti PUTRA, Nordin berkata, SPNB tidak bercadang untuk meminta subsidi dan jaminan daripada kerajaan.

Tidak semestinya kami menerbitkan bon (untuk mendapat pembiayaan). Salah satu cara yang ada ialah menggunakan pembiayaan Islam iaitu pinjaman mudharabah (pembiayaan sewa beli),'' jelasnya.

Tambah beliau, bagi mengembangkan operasi PUTRA, pihaknya juga sedang mengkaji untuk menyambung laluan terakhirnya di terminal Kelana Jaya ke Subang Jaya.

Extension to Subang Jaya..it's been under consideration for so long. No time to waste.

I mean what a coincidence that a celebrity is the 10 millionth passenger :sly:

Local celebrity Emylia Rosnaida Abdul Hamid is KLIA Express’ 10 millionth passenger. She won a Proton Gen.2, two business class return tickets to New York and one year unlimited rides on the KLIA Express.

Emylia received the prizes from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at a special ceremony cum dinner held at KL Sentral last night.

Also present was KLIA Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd executive chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh.

The event also saw four other winners receiving their prizes.

They were Gordon Herath, the 9,999,999th passenger who won two economy class return tickets to Sydney, Australia; Freda Yeo, the 9,999,988th passenger who won two economy class return tickets to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; Patrick Wee, the 10,000,001st passenger who won two economy class return tickets to Bangkok, and Norazlain Mohd Nor who won two business class return tickets to Jakarta.

Norazlain guessed the right date in which the 10 millionth passenger travelled on the train.

The prizes were sponsored by Malaysia Airlines, EON, Royal Brunei Airlines, The Empire Hotel & Country Club Brunei, KLM Air France, The Right Channel and Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad

Extension to Subang Jaya..it's been under consideration for so long. No time to waste.

Yeah..they should do it now than latter. Before its too late...

YTL and Siemens in talks to take over project
Updated : 05-12-2005
Media : Malay Mail
Story By : Sharen Kaur



YTL Corp Bhd, the country’s largest builder, and Siemens AG, Europe’s largest engineering group, may take control of the RM480 million Sentul-Batu Caves high speed rail contract, people familiar with the matter said yesterday.

Mail Money was told that YTL is in talks with Siemens to take over the three-packaged rail project.

"YTL wants to rope in Siemens to work on the three packages with Sentul Raya, by providing its expertise in signalling and electrification works," Mail Money was told.

It is firmly believed that Sentul Raya Sdn Bhd, partly owned by YTL, had secured the letter of intent (LoI) for the first package worth as much as RM230 million from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) last month.

The LoI for package two, worth about RM80 million, was given to Saujana Beta Development Sdn Bhd, a unit of Brunsfield Corp Sdn Bhd, while the LoI for package three, worth nearly RM150 million, was given to privately-held Golden Land Development Sdn Bhd.

Mail Money was told that Sentul Raya had been nominated by the MOF to work on package one, as well as manage package two and three.

The MOF had also asked Sentul Raya to interface all the three packages and deliver the project within schedule.

"The Sentul-Batu Caves project is an important project. The MOF wants to engage companies with railway expertise so that the whole system is delivered on time," said the source.

Apart from Siemens, the companies which have the infrastructure expertise to undertake the job are Bombardier Transportion, Balfour Beatty Plc, Alstom Transporation, Westing- House, Union Switch & Signal, Ascom AG (Switzerland) and Korea LG.

KL: Old Train Station

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by JFMAJjasonD

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Sri Petaling station

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Computer glitch upsets schedule at LRT station
Dec 7:



BANGSAR BARU resident GERARD hopes Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL) would investigate why trains sometimes do not stop for passengers at the Bangsar Putra LRT station.


“On Nov 29, I was at the station at 7.45am and was expecting the train which goes to the city centre to arrive at 8am,” he says.

“However, the train did not stop, and neither did the next one. I only managed to get a train at 8.45am.”

He says the first two trains were full.

“The station should have made an announcement on the matter to passengers,” says GERARD.

* RapidKL’s corporate communications senior manager Katherine Chew says that on that day, a train at the Universiti station along the Putra-LRT line experienced computer problems at 7.16am, and had to be manually driven back to Kelana Jaya for maintenance.

“The system experienced a 20-minute delay. The automatic service returned at 7.36am,” she says.

“As the technical problem happened during the morning peak hours, passenger traffic was exceptionally heavy, resulting in overcrowding between the Kelana Jaya and KLCC stations.

“Despite having some manually-driven trains servicing the stations during the period, many commuters were unable to enter the trains due to the crowd.”

Chew says the company provides empty trains from Kelana Jaya direct to KL Sentral at least once in the morning when the crowd is too heavy in KL Sentral.

She says no announcement was made as the train did not stop at the platform.

Sri Petaling station

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Utusan Malaysia: 16 Disember 2005

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Dis. - Kemudahan perkhidmatan tren monorel mungkin diwujudkan di bandar-bandar besar dan sibuk seperti di Pulau Pinang dan Johor Bahru bagi mengatasi masalah kesesakan lalu lintas kritikal di bandar berkenaan.

Timbalan Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar berkata, langkah itu merupakan penyelesaian terdekat dan paling relevan dilaksanakan bagi menangani masalah kesesakan kronik yang dihadapi di bandar-bandar besar.

``Apa yang saya rasakan, keadaan kesesakan di Pulau Pinang dan Johor Bahru adalah terlalu mendesak. Dengan adanya perkhidmatan tren monorel ini, kadar kesesakan lalu lintas di bandar-bandar terlibat akan dapat ditangani,'' katanya.

Beliau menyatakan demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas merasmikan sistem integrasi di antara tiga buah stesen monorel dan Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras (Rapid KL) di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama ialah Pengerusi Kumpulan MTrans, David Chew dan Ketua Eksekutif Rapid KL, Rein Westra.

Sistem integrasi itu melibatkan kemudahan laluan pejalan kaki untuk pengguna ke stesen-stesen Transit Aliran Ringan (LRT) Star dan Putra di tiga buah stesen di Titiwangsa, Bukit Nanas dan Hang Tuah.

Projek yang menelan kos kira-kira RM6 juta itu merupakan kerjasama di antara syarikat swasta dan kerajaan untuk kemudahan warga kota menikmati perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam.

Menurut Tengku Azlan, kerajaan akan sentiasa memastikan keselesaan rakyatnya dengan menaik taraf sistem pengangkutan awam di negara ini.

``Kita akan kaji dalam masa terdekat ini untuk melaksanakan satu sistem bagi menangani kesesakan lalu lintas di beberapa lokasi utama dan kemudiannya akan kemuka kepada Kabinet untuk diberi pertimbangan,'' katanya.

Sebagai contohnya, beliau memberitahu beberapa perancangan akan dikemukakan kepada Kabinet untuk dilaksanakan pada tahun depan.

Antaranya ialah memperbanyakkan kemudahan sistem pengangkutan awam di beberapa lokasi lain di negara ini.

Untuk itu, beliau meminta semua pihak terutamanya golongan eksekutif dan korporat supaya menggunakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam itu seperti yang dipraktikkan di negara-negara Eropah.

Less waiting, thanks to new bus timetable
Wednesday December 21, 2005
By LIM CHIA YING


IT’S shorter waiting time and higher bus frequency now for light rail transit (LRT) commuters, thanks to Rapid KL’s introduction of new scheduled feeder bus services.

Rapid KL chief operating officer (buses) Mohd Ali Mohd Noor said all of the company’s feeder buses would be operating on a fixed timetable to minimise commuters’ waiting time.

“Prior to this, we found that passengers had a hard time planning their journey as there was no fixed arrival and departure time for buses.

“With this timetable, we hope to reduce the waiting time for buses pick them from the LRT station, back home or to the office. It is our way of providing higher service levels to our customers,” said Mohd Ali.





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Mohd Ali displaying the fixed timetable at a press conference.






He added that all 35 routes which Rapid KL feeder buses service currently would be following a timetable.

“The schedules introduced will be along the Kelana Jaya line (formerly Putra line), the Ampang line, and the Sri Petaling line (formerly STAR line).

“Of these lines, there are 13 routes operating between Kelana Jaya and Bangsar stations, another 13 between Terminal Putra and Dato' Keramat stations, and nine along Ampang and Sri Petaling lines,” he said.

Mohd Ali said buses have been on trial runs on all the routes to test the viability of the fixed timetable.

“We will also ensure that there are enough buses and that they are in good condition, to give customers the assurance of arrival and departure times.”

He said for busier and heavier routes like Kelana Jaya, University, Kerinchi, Bangsar, Bandar Tasik Selatan, and Salak Selatan, there would be buses every 15 to 20 minutes.

For stations with lower density, the service frequency would be between 25 to 40 minutes.

“In short, we are providing buses in a way that co-ordinate and support the operation of rails,” he said.

While existing buses are used, 12 new ones are being brought in for this scheduled service.

Mohd Ali said there would be a major exercise for the next six months from January where more new buses will be deployed for a new route network.

“Currently, we have about 667 buses in total, all of which are in reasonable operating condition.

But the new ones will gradually phase the out maybe by September.

“We are planning to acquire 1,000 new buses by then, and we have already 200 now.”

As for the scheduled feeder bus service, which commenced in Dec 13, operating hours are from 6am to midnight daily.

For details on the schedule, log on to www.rapidkl.com.my or call 1-800 388 228. Alternatively, check info at all LRT station notice board.

Rapid KL

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Thinking of when will the electrical double track train come to Ipoh... It was a long waiting already...

KLIA transit @ Bandar tasik selatan >> near szehoong's house

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wah! szehoong everyday use KLIA transit to work??? :eek2:

KLIA Ekspres Fashion...

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10 Millionth Passenger

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RAIL OPERATORS COMMIT TOUCH ‘n GO AT ALL STATIONS

Kuala Lumpur, – For the first time, rail operators today came together to demonstrate their commitment to deploy Touch N Go facilities as a common ticket. This will allow the passengers to use all rail and bus services operated by them in the Klang Valley as an integrated system.

Mr Rein Westra, Chief Executive Officer of RAPID KL said, ‘There are many aspects to the integration of public transportation and we hope to start off with having one common ticketing system through Touch N Go.’

The Touch N Go service was first introduced to Kelana Jaya line (formerly PUTRA line) in October 1998, while Sri Petaling line and Ampang line (formerly STAR line) offered the facility in 2004. The Kelana Jaya line, Sri Petaling line and Ampang line combined have over 8.5% Touch ‘n Go users and 310,000 passengers per day.

Recently, KTMB also introduced the Touch N Go system at all their stations for KTM Komuter on 1 st July 2005. Encik Roslan Mohammed, General Manager, Customer Service says, ‘We have already an average of 3.5% customers using the Touch ‘n Go on our system and we are confident the usage will continue to increase.’ Currently, KTM Komuter has 81,000 passengers per day.

Meanwhile Encik Bakthiar Jamilee Bin Haji Abdoh, Managing Director of KL Monorail System explained, ‘The need for a common ticketing application by the transport industry is long overdue and we are ready to support the Government and collaborate with all transport operators on the use of Touch N Go that has been adopted which we hope will ultimately benefit the end users."

In support of the Touch ‘n Go system, Dr Aminuddin Adnan, Chief Executive Officer, Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd says, ‘We will be installing the Touch ‘n Go facility on our KLIA Ekspres first on a trial basis to measure the performance of the system. We are currently doing the testing and commissioning and we hope the system will be ready for use by our KLIA Ekspres passengers by early September 2005’.

Swinder Grewal, Chief Operating Officer, Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd (RSSB), the operator of the Touch ‘n Go card and the SmartTAG says, ’We are proud to be associated with Common Ticketing System (CTS) and is honored to be recognized by major public transport operators and the Government as a premier product chosen for the common ticketing system.’

The Touch n Go card is the national prepaid e-purse for the transportation industry. It is the Common Ticketing System (CTS) initiated by the Government to introduce a single ticketing and fare payment medium for major public transportation within the Klang Valley.

The Touch ‘n Go system is a value-added service to travelers and commuters as it eliminates waiting time and long queues at ticketing counters and the hassle of preparing for small change. It is also a multi-application card for the various medium for public transport, parking and toll payments.

Some of the key benefits of the Touch n Go card bring to the public transport users are:

- Easy to use
- Saves time
- No loose change
- Flexible
- E-statement facility

RSSB is committed to provide more value-added services to the public by working closely with the CTS members to :

- Introduce season passes
- Increase Point-of-Sales (POS) channels
- Develop integrated ticketing system

RSSB has also committed to setting up a Service Center for the public at the KL Sentral Station in the very near future.

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There are currently more than 2.8 million Touch ‘n Go cards in circulation and over 1 million MyKad cardholders whose MyKad comes with an inbuilt Touch ‘n Go function. The clearing house settles one million financial transaction daily.

The Touch ‘n Go Electronic Payment System is a 100% locally developed system. The card uses Mifare Standard, the de-facto standard for contactless smart cards in the world.

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Additional KTM Komuter Service For New Year 2006 Celebrations


KTM Berhad has arranged for 51 additional KTM Komuter services to cater for members of the public ushering in the new year on December 31, 2005.

These additional trains will run after the normal hours on December 31, 2005 and will ply the Seremban – Rawang, Rawang – Seremban, Sentul – Pelabuhan Klang and Pelabuhan Klang – Sentul routes at 20 minutes intervals.

There will be 14 services each for the Rawang – Seremban and Sentul – Pelabuhan Klang routes, 12 services for the Seremban – Rawang route and 11 for the Pelabuhan Klang – Sentul route.

Additional trains from Seremban to Rawang will run between 10.35pm to 2.15am while trains from Rawang to Seremban will run between 10.30pm to 2.51am. Meanwhile, trains from Sentul to Pelabuhan Klang will run between 11.05pm to 3.25am and trains from Pelabuhan Klang to Sentul will run between 10.55pm to 2.25am.

KTM Berhad would like to advise members of the public who wish to travel by KTM Komuter to purchase a two-way ticket in order to avoid long queues at the Ticket Vending Machine on the journey back.

Apart from that, passengers can also purchase the Integrated Ticket at RM18 for unlimited travels on the KTM Komuter, KL Monorail as well as RapidKL LRTs and buses.

Please observe all safety regulations and follow the instructions issued by officers present.

KLIA transit

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Nice picture, two thumbs way up for your two fingers up.........

SPNB to invest RM2b on trains for Putra LRT over next 3 years
By Ashwin Raman, 03 Jan 2006 9:52 PM


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(From left) Rapid KL ceo Rein Westra, Shaipudin, Rangkaian Pengangkutan
Integrasi Deras chairman Datuk Rahim Mokhti and SPNB chairman Datuk
Nordin Baharuddin at the handover of 120 new buses



SPNB chief executive officer, Shaipudin Harun, said they were in discussions with potential sponsors for the purchase and a deal would likely be concluded by the first quarter of this year, with the first batch of trains arriving in the next 18 to 20 months.

He said the additional trains were to fully utilise Putra’s existing network. SPNB owns the public transport infrastructure for both buses and rail operated by Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL).

Rapid KL operates the Intrakota and CityLiner buses as well as the Putra and Star LRT systems.

In addition to the trains, Shaipudin said SPNB will spend up to RM280 million this year to add 600 new buses to its existing fleet of 1,237 buses in a move to increase the frequency of public transportation in the Klang Valley. The expansion is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Out of the 600 buses, he said SPNB will purchase up to 200 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, in line with the government’s efforts to promote a greener and healthier environment.

CNG is made by compressing purified natural gas and is considered to be an environmentally cleaner alternative to gasoline or diesel, which all buses currently run on.

Shaipudin said CNG buses would cost about RM600,000 a unit but would save RM25,000 in fuel costs a year and would be profitable in the long run. He said that the CNG buses would be added to Rapid KL’s fleet by the end of this year.

"Funding for these purchases will come partly from the government. We will also go to the local capital markets. It will be a mixture of debt and equity,” he told reporters at the handover of 120 new buses to Rapid KL in Petaling Jaya on Jan 3.

The 120 buses, Shaipudin said, were ordered last year and did not include the 600 buses SPNB planned on purchasing this year.

He said the cost of the 120 buses, purchased from Mtrans Bus Sdn Bhd, was RM210 million and the buses will be used by Rapid KL to implement the first phase of a new bus network in the city centre by the middle of this year.