Indonesia should ban all private cars from using subsidized fuel: adviser - chicagotribune.com

Indonesia should ban all private cars from using subsidized fuel: adviser - chicagotribune.com: "TANJUNG BENOA, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesia should slap a nationwide ban on the use of subsidized fuel by the country's 11 million private cars, a move that would save the government $8.6 billion this year and erase a widening fiscal deficit, a presidential adviser said.
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Rohingya being ethnically cleansed to enable oil pipelines

Burma: pipeline plans behind Rohingya cleansing?: "Much of the violence has been in the port of Sittwe, which is to be the starting point for the new Shwe pipeline project due to open later this year. The Shwe pipeline will allow oil from the Persian Gulf states and Africa to be pumped to China, bypassing a slower shipping route through the Strait of Malacca. It will also ship gas from Arakan's offshore fields to southwest China."

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Penang - More roads will lead to more traffic congestion

Penangites back mega projects, claims CM | Free Malaysia Today:
Precisely, the congestion of traffic is not about building more roads but ensuring that cars are controlled. For as long as cars are easily made available, congestion will be eminent. Face the reality, everyone knows the cause of traffic congestion and everyone knows that no matter how many roads are built, congestion will occur at busy locations as cars will bottlenecked at entry points
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Jakarta, Indonesia, choked by cars, desperately seeking a solution

Heavy traffic congestion is seen at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta in this May 2012 file photo. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)

Basuki Says Odd-Even Traffic Scheme May Be Canceled | The Jakarta Globe: "The Jakarta government on Tuesday said that the delayed odd-even license plate scheme might not go ahead and instead be replaced by the electronic road pricing system. "

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Bangkok chose to build highways and now has buyers remorse

Public must back loan plan | Bangkok Post: opinion: "In the past when traffic congestion became serious, instead of investing in mass transit systems, previous governments decided to invest in expressways, which only encouraged more private cars and worsened the traffic problem."

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Singapore should go the way of free public transport

Govt not decided yet on off-peak free train rides - Channel NewsAsia: "'There is a group that is very keen for us to offer free travel. And they think that it is a way to show that the government is truly committed to doing all that is possible to ease the congestion.'

...Mr Lui said the idea is to improve the public transportation network so that there is less of a need to own cars."

Thailand car-purchase subsidy does more harm than good

Govt's first-car scheme slammed on social media - The Nation: "@zhanpisshu said the government could have launched a proper public bus service instead of offering people a tax rebate on their first car, while @Oam_Oamm just put it down to pure and simple consumerism, saying it does nothing for the country's development. "

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Kuala Lumpur - Carbon-Free Sunday celebrated

Promoting the use of public transport - Central - New Straits Times: "KUALA LUMPUR: THE dream to see more people using eco-friendly means of transport had  prompted the   youth in Bangsar to organise a carbon-free day  they called Carbon-Free Sunday."

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Public transport riding high - General - New Straits Times

Public transport riding high - General - New Straits Times: "Another focus area was the issue of congested roads and inefficient bus service because of the lack of qualified drivers and equipment problems.
However, the problems were gradually addressed through the introduction of 470 new RapidKL buses, resulting in 4.04 million more passengers last year compared with 2011."

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Corrupt logging elites are merely responding to demand. #itsthedemand

Corruption in Malaysia laid bare as investigation catches Sarawak’s ruling elite on camera | Global Witness: "Sarawak still exports more tropical logs than South America and Africa combined, despite having just five per cent of its forests left intact after decades of industrial logging and plantation development. Sarawak’s Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has ruled the state for over three decades and controls all land allocation and forestry licensing. He is widely understood to abuse this power to enrich his family and associates."

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Indonesia saddled with USD 21B fuel subsidy

Editorial: We Must Defuse the Subsidy Time Bomb | The Jakarta Globe: "As the global price of oil rises, Indonesia’s ability to afford its fuel subsidies will be severely tested.

The government is already under severe pressure to keep the budget deficit from ballooning and to reverse a growing trade deficit.

Subsidies are draining away funds that could be better used securing the country’s long-term economic future and improving people’s livelihoods. "

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Penang: Congestion suffocating economy - public transport needed

Guan Eng’s ‘ego’ irks BN leader | Free Malaysia Today: "Do not hastily overlook the importance of public transport, Azhar said, adding that having more vehicles on the roads here courtesy of the tunnel, would result in another episode of traffic congestions.
Lim had previously blamed the federal government for their unwillingness to cooperate on improving public transport and due to traffic becoming worst in recent times, the state is now forced to find its own measures to overcome the congestion."

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Kuala Lumpur free bus a huge success

GTP plans to revive public transport system right on track - Nation | The Star Online: "But with the setting up of Urban Public Transport as one of the National Key Result Areas of the GTP, plans to revive public transport as a feasible and top mode of travelling appear to be on track.

Heading the agenda is the GoKL free bus service that has tongues wagging. It even got a special mention on travel website TripAdvisor."

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Malaysia - People want free public transport

Commuters divided over waking up early for free rides - World Updates | The Star Online: "JUST under half of commuters said they would get up earlier if it meant they could get a free bus or train ride to work, a straw poll by The Straits Times found.

Forty-five per cent said they would be willing to change their travel pattern if such a scheme was set up to avoid the peak-hour crush.

Many cited cost savings of up to S$40 (RM100) a month as the motivation to leave home earlier."

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ETP to attract local, foreign investors to M'sian property sector

ETP to attract local, foreign investors to M'sian property sector: "“Public transport will be key to liveability in city hubs, as otherwise, the city would be choked by the increasing number of cars,” he said."

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MPs back call for free off-peak travel on public transport - Channel NewsAsia

MPs back call for free off-peak travel on public transport - Channel NewsAsia: "SINGAPORE: Day Two of the Budget Debate in Parliament saw several MPs rising in support of a proposal to grant commuters free travel on public transport during off-peak periods.

One MP even called for a freeze in fare increases until service levels improve.

The House on Wednesday also heard some impassioned calls to help workers and companies struggling with the pace of restructuring."

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Singapore #freetransit advocate speaks up

File photo of an SMRT train pulling up alongside a platform station in Singapore. 

MP proposes free travel on public transport before peak hours - Channel NewsAsia: "INGAPORE: Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Janil Puthucheary has raised the idea of free travel on public transport before peak hours to change their travel patterns.

Speaking during the Budget debate in Parliament on Tuesday, Dr Puthucheary urged public transport operators to consider providing commuters free travel within a certain time period outside rush hour. This could reduce the crush during peak hour travel.

Dr Puthucheary noted that currently train operators give discounts to encourage commuters to travel early.

He said: "If we can afford it, have all travel on public transport until the start of peak hour, free? If that's too great a leap, then maybe for example, every weekday morning for 30 minutes or an hour, ending at 7.45am, commuters can travel for free.

"Will this distort behaviour? Yes, that's the whole point. This will attract more people to change their travel patterns, compared to any discount."
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Trams chosen for Penang instead of monorail

Guan Eng: Monorail in Penang unfeasible | Free Malaysia Today: "GEORGE TOWN: Barisan Nasional’s promise to implement a monorail project in Penang will not materialise even if the coalition regained the Penang government, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Instead, he said his government’s proposed tram system was the right answer to improve Penang’s public transportation and ease traffic congestion."

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Malaysia #freetransit advocates speaking up

Penang's RM8 bil Road & Tunnel project: Contradictions start to appear: "Second, what have Lim and his officers done to follow up on the request to Rapid Penang to provide free shuttle during peak hours? It is too early to assume that the federal government would reject the state government's request to run its own public bus system. Any rejection or sort would create a larger political repercussion to the BN federal government. If Lim is serious, some of us would gladly offer our help and assistance to convey and submit his formal request to SPAD and the Ministry of Transport for further consideration."

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