After the first meeting of the Malaysian Economic Council on Aug 11, it was again announced that the government was committed to improving public transportation. The proposal for a National Public Transport Commission, (also being described as a Land Transport Authority) was supported by the government.

The minister of transport stated that the Commission would ‘have teeth’ and it would be up and running by the end of 2008. The minister also indicated that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs was looking at solutions at the consumer level.

It remains to be seen how the renewed commitment to improved public transportation will be carried out by the federal government. Sadly, while the federal government is taking steps at the federal level to improve the regulation of public transport services, at the local level certain bus operators appear to be taking steps in the opposite direction.

On August 12, RapidKL, announced a plan to ‘rationalise’ bus routes and cancel 3 bus routes, including one in my own community, Subang Jaya. In case you are not aware, ‘rationalise’ is a big word that really means, cut service in order to maintain revenues and/or profits.

The same day, I heard from a friend that Cityliner services on the KL-Klang route were delayed by a driver shortage. Apparently, Cityliner (part of Konsortium Transnasional Berhad) had shifted some of the drivers on the KL-Klang route to charter buses and express buses instead.

I would like to kindly remind RapidKL and CityLiner that they have a mandate to provide public transport services within the Klang Valley. This is a fundamental expectation of the permit that they have received from the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board.

It should be understood, then, that providing services should be a priority for both companies. RapidKL and Cityliner have a responsibility to their stakeholders, the customers who depend on them to provide public transport services.

I recognise that it is important for companies to be successful, but the needs of all stakeholders must be considered. By announcing rationalisation without consultation and by failing to provide enough bus drivers, RapidKL and Cityliner have failed in their commitment to their stakeholders.

I may be a voice in the wilderness but I do not believe that I am alone. And so, I ask the ordinary citizen, the local councilors, the non-government organisations and the wakil rakyat to join me in asking RapidKL and Cityliner to provide their stakeholders, the public and the government, with an explanation for their actions.

I also wish to say to the wakil rakyat: if you are committed to improving public transport, now is the time to stand up and be counted. Speak up on behalf of the rakyat, and let these operators know that they must take responsibility for their actions.