I refer to the newly-launched KL Traffic Dispersal ‘Master'plan which has nothing ‘masterly' about it.

The key features of the plan include ramps, underpasses, elevated interchanges, and one-way streets. This is going to help us turn KL into a livable city? Federal Territories Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the two projects were being carried out in accordance with the prime minister's wish to provide a better living for KL citizens and in line with his concept that the ‘people come first.'

People come first in this plan? Not in KL, that's for sure. It is clear that this plan is putting the car first, people last.

Instead of building up the quality of life in the city, it seems that the government is focused on tearing down the quality of life - with more construction, more traffic, more noise and more hassles. Why is any of this necessary?

Because of traffic congestion in KL? Because of bad public transport? Or because of this unrealistic idea that everyone from the suburban areas can and should be able to drive into the centre of KL - all at the same time - and not face any congestion.

These plans are simply unbelievable - not to mention unrealistic in the long-term. The action of the government in designing these plans and launching them without real, effective public consultation is total shame. Contacting a few area residents associations and telling them what you plan to do is not public consultation - and for a plan this big in scale, the whole city should be involved.

I do note that they have made a tiny concession to public transit though - they will have one lane of Jalan Tun Sambanthan as a bus lane. Of course, anyone who spends time on Jalan Tun Sambanthan will quickly realise that this bus lane will be as ineffective as all of the others in KL.

KL will not be an enjoyable, comfortable or livable city if these developments go through. It will not be a place where people come first. But then, maybe it never was.

On another note, when I opened the news today I was struck by an almost ludicrous site - a KTM Komuter Electric Multiple Unit train hitched up behind a diesel locomotive - with KTMB Managing Director Abdul Razak Abdul Malek smiling and flagging off the train.

I could not imagine why Abdul Razak was smiling. KTM's Komuter service is effectively regressing. Going back to diesel locomotives to pull these Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) trains is simply sad and it never should have happened - but that is what you get with poor planning and a lack of investment from the government.

Before you complain to a KTMB employee about poor service or breakdowns, please remember that KTM Komuter is carrying three times the number of passengers it carried in 1994 - using a fleet that is less than half of the original fleet. On a good day, KTM Komuter has 25-30 trains operating.

The fleet is breaking down and they are expected to carry three times more passengers - but where is the investment from the government?

New four-carriage EMU trains will arrive this year but the government has only purchased 13 trainsets! KTM Komuter needs at least 100 new trainsets to offer a decent level of service and higher frequency of seven minutes - which might encourage more passengers to use it.

KTMB management is very innovative and trying to do more with the situation that they have been stuck with.

I recall speaking to KTMB management in mid-2008 during the height of what I described as a 'Komuter Krisis' and gave a specific suggestion about running shuttle trains pulled by the extra diesel locomotives.

Apparently the new KTM locomotives bought in 2007 were underpowered so instead of using them for freight trucks they could use them to pull passenger carriages. I presume that KTMB does not have enough passenger carriages to be pulled since the intercity service is actually seeing growth, so they are innovating again by making use of the 'dead' EMU trains.

KTM also innovated with the ‘New-Q System' last year - another example of them trying to make the best of a bad situation - and we hope that they will continue innovating and doing their best.

But it is truly sad to see that we have reduced KTM Komuter service to using weak, underpowered diesel locomotives pulling 'dead' EMU trains that can no longer move under their own power - just so they can provide a level of service that is way below expectations.

KTMB is listening and innovating and doing the best they can with the few crumbs they have been given - but it is the politicians who really need to hear what is being said. I salute the employees of KTMB and Managing Director Abdul Razak for putting on a brave face.