First make buses free, get rid of cars, then build rail

Huge transit project hits rough patch | Free Malaysia Today: "Officials insist the project must move forward.
“If we do not have the MRT, I can tell you by the year 2020 this city will be choked,” Idris Jala, who heads an office spearheading Najib’s economic growth plans, was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.
But Rajiv Rishyakaran of public transport advocacy group Transit said questions surround the project, adding that the affair highlights an emerging spirit of civic action in Malaysia.
“(Before), people just accepted what the government was doing. Now the demands for greater transparency and accountability are much higher,” he said.
“We are still on square one when it comes to transparency. There is a lot of mess because it’s a very rushed project. It wasn’t planned properly,” he added."

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People wake up. The floods are caused by cars.

AFP: Thai floods force Honda to shut Malaysia plant: "KUALA LUMPUR — Japanese auto giant Honda halted production at its Malaysian plant Tuesday due to disruption to its supply chain caused by devastating floods in neighbouring Thailand.
Honda Malaysia said in a statement that the flooding had caused Honda Automobile Thailand and other major suppliers to close, leading to a parts shortage."

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Flooding, Public Transit Dominate Jakarta Draft Budget | The Jakarta Globe

Public transportation is set to receive Rp 3 trillion in funds

 for the 2012 Jakarta budget, the governor said on Friday. (AFP Photo)

Flooding, Public Transit Dominate Jakarta Draft Budget | The Jakarta Globe: "Of the eight programs, public transportation would get the most funding, at Rp 2.89 trillion. Fauzi said they wanted to develop three new TransJakarta busway corridors — one of which would go to Bekasi and another to Tangerang — buy land for a fourth corridor and adapt pillars intended for the scrapped monorail project into an elevated busway track. The city also wants to buy new buses for the TransJakarta network."

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Thailand keeps free transit - tries to mitigate fossil-fuel subsidy

Economic policies of Thailand's new government: "It said in August it expected to raise excise tax on all fuels in the next 6-8 months to make a more appropriate price structure.

-- Pledge to hold down prices of consumer goods and energy.
...
On Oct 3., the cabinet approved the extension of free public transport until Jan. 15 for certain users and the government said this would cost 2.18 billion baht."

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Free public transport, please - The Malaysian Insider

Datuk Jema Khan is a former Sabah Umno Youth leader. He is now a businessman pushing the Agenda Liberal Melayu inFacebook .
Free public transport, please - The Malaysian Insider: "We need to think outside the box. Give a great public transport system for free within the urban areas and you don’t have to subsidise the fuel price. You don’t have to build an MRT system for RM40 billion. You don’t have to burden any income group in the city. Transport costs are zero if they take public transport."

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World Bank: ditch fossil fuel subsidies to address climate change | Environment | guardian.co.uk

World Bank: ditch fossil fuel subsidies to address climate change | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "Leaked World Bank documents propose that rich countries should eliminate the $50bn a year they give in fossil fuel subsidies, in order to financially help poor countries address climate change."

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RapidKL adds 150 buses to boost frequency « TRANSIT – Malaysia's Public Transport Forum

RapidKL adds 150 buses to boost frequency « TRANSIT – Malaysia's Public Transport Forum: "Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL), a public transportation provider, expects the addition of 150 city buses to its service to increase service efficiency in the Klang Valley."

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