Sunday, August 31, 2014

Cars choking Jarkarta - congestion cost is USD 3 Billion per year

The Jakarta Post: "Fighting against Jakarta’s traffic during peak hours burns us out, and burns our money — for nothing. At some point, driving a car starts to be a symbol of immobility rather than mobility.
...Jakarta is estimated to lose US$3 billion per year due to traffic congestion, which is closely related to the rapid growth in private vehicle ownership of 9-11 percent per year, while the existing public transportation systems and road facilities fail to function in accommodating citizens’ mobility (Rukmana, 2014). "

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Fuel subsidy bad idea that is getting worse

breaking news: "Together with a smaller electricity subsidy, the handout is expected to cost the country $31 billion next year, according to a draft 2015 budget released last week. That’s equivalent to about 18 percent of total government spending. The subsidy leaves public finances vulnerable to fluctuations in the global oil price and the currency. And it enables households to spend more on imported consumer goods. The result is a yawning current account deficit: 4.3 percent of GDP in the second quarter. If U.S. interest rates rise next year, investors may balk at financing the trade shortfall, just as they did in the summer of last year."

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Penang Targets 40% Public Transport Usage by 2030

malaysiadigest : "GEORGE TOWN -- The Penang Transport Master Plan aimed to have a 40 percent public transport usage by 2030 from 3.2 percent currently recorded."