The increase in fuel prices over the past few months will likely force car drivers to tighten their belt by switching to motorcycles, which will likely cause more motorcycle fatalities, warned Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong.

The right approach, he argued, would be to ensure adequate and accessible public transport nationwide to reduce the need for using motorcycles.

"Research has shown that motorcycle fatalities shot up as a result of the March 2006 and June 2008 fuel hikes as the lower income group switched transport modes from cars to motorcycles.

"Motorcycle deaths are 3 times higher than car fatalities, 6 times higher than pedestrian fatalities and nearly 50 times higher than bus passenger fatalities.

"In fact, 60 percent of road death toll involves motorcyclists," said Liew, who is the DAP national political education bureau head, in a statement today.

He said that every traffic accident is a tragedy which could be avoided if Malaysia had an efficient and reliable public transportation system.

MRT and LRT not enough

Liew said that although Putrajaya had undertaken the extension of LRT lines and construction of new MRT lines, these are projects that are concentrated in the Klang Valley and are not viable for other areas.

"Reports have shown that the LRT extension lines and MRT projects have not reduced traffic congestion and has not led to a massive switch of transport modes due to expensive fares and lack of the last mile connection.

"These huge rail-based infrastructures were built without proper feeder bus systems," said Liew.

Improving and increasing bus services throughout the country was necessary because it is the most affordable mode of public transport, said Liew.

If planned and run properly, will be the most efficient way of providing public transport access to the masses, he said.

To make this a reality, structural reforms will be needed, said Liew, such as placing the Finance Ministry's Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) under the Transport Ministry.

The state and local authorities must also be part of the planning and management process to ensure priority is given to bus-based public transport, he said.