Malaysia - Free Public Transport a solution to high road-death rate

Malaysiakini: "Malaysia is only four years away from reaching 2020, and if the high road deaths continues, it could possibly ruin our chances of achieving the developed country status. Currently, the 23 out 100,000 people are killed on the roads in Malaysia, compared to developed countries such as Sweden with only three out of 100,000 people; and five or less the UK, the Netherlands, in Australia or Japan.

And all these countries have one thing in common - their cities have cheap, safe, and reliable public transportation."

November 20, 2015 - Lin Wanfeng: to implement on all routes armor temporarily introduction of free bus - Local News - Malacca - Nanyang Network

Local News - Malacca - Nanyang Network: ""If implemented, in order to comply with the fair, it will be fully free, rather than specific routes for free.""



[via google translate]

2015年11月20日 - 林万锋：要落实就全部路线 甲暂不推行免费巴士 - 地方新闻 - 马六甲 - 南洋网

2015年11月20日 - 林万锋：: "郑国球在州议会发表休会演词时说，免费公巴服务将带来诸多好处，包括吸引公众使用公共交通，减少繁忙时段及假期的交通堵塞，改善市区停车位不足的情况。
他说，此举也有助于减少车祸，尤其是涉及摩托车的车祸。
他指出，槟州及雪州明年度预算案都出现赤字，但已开始在特定时间及地点提供免费公巴服务。"

Bangkok creating more bureaucracy to undercut #freetransit program

The Nation: ""The government isn't thinking of cancelling free bus/train services, but PM Prayut wants it to truly aid low-income persons and for the budget management to be financially efficient," he said. "

West, Gulf complicity in oil-fuelled genocide of Myanmar’s Rohingya

@nafeezahmed middleeasteye: "The State Department report focuses on the need for Myanmar to continue neoliberal “economic reforms” to open up the country to foreign investors.

Rather than acknowledging the junta’s culpability, the document makes passing reference to “political violence,” characterised ‘neutrally’ as “anti-government insurgent activity in various locations,” and “inter-communal violence… between Buddhists and Muslims”.

A report by the UK government’s department for Trade and Investment (UKTI) was similarly breathless: “Burma is estimated to possess 3.2 billion barrels of oil and 18 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas reserves… Its unproven resources may be vastly greater.”

These resources make Burma “among the world’s top fifth nations in terms of its proven reserves”."

Vietnam students abroad don't come home because..... traffic!

tuoitrenews : "“There are some reasons why overseas students do not return to Vietnam, including an unqualified educational environment, which can impact on the future of their children, an unstable lifestyle with a high level of air pollution, traffic jams, and road accidents,” said Vo Duy Khang, now a chief technology officer at Zappasoft, an Australian software company."

Saigon Registers 900 New Vehicles Everyday

Saigoneer: "Though registration prices are now climbing instead of the cost of the vehicles themselves – in September, fees hit VND11 million, five times more expensive than before – the continued onslaught of cars suggests this registration hike may not be enough to stem Saigon's deluge of four-wheeled vehicles. Taking into account the 7.2 million locally registered vehicles in Saigon, another million vehicles entering the city from other provinces and drivers like these on the road, it might just be better to stay off the streets altogether."