The Transport Minister said the government does not plan to impose a congestion charge on private vehicles in Kuala Lumpur for now.
He added that the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion has previously discussed the matter in depth, and notify the ministry's views on prioritising the improvement of public transport quality.
"Therefore, the Transport Ministry does not currently plan to implement a congestion charge on private vehicles," he confirmed during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara.
He said this in response to a question from Senator Tan Sri Datuk Low Kian Chuan, who inquired whether the ministry would consider a congestion charge tax now that the First Mile and Last Mile connection issue had been addressed through on-demand transit van services.
Loke revealed that the Malaysian Road Safety Research Institute and the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation are conducting an implementation study. To covers the implementation mechanism, projected reduction in traffic volume, and increased use of public transport.
Moreover, the ministry is currently executing the Klang Valley Public Transport Strategic Plan Study, which includes an Origin-Destination study.
This is intended to serve as a benchmark for improving the quality of public transport, including in other states.
This is because developed countries typically implement congestion charges only after establishing a well-functioning and efficient public transportation system," he explained as quoted from Bernama.
