SYNOPSIS

It is vital to approach the issues of Public Transport in a coherent and systematic framework to avoid confusion. To understand Public Transport, it is useful to approach it as three (3) separate categories. From a big picture perspective, i.e. from a National Perspective, then move on to an Urban Perspective, and last but not least, to a Rural Perspective. Hence, the paper is arranged into three sections:

a) Public Transport for Intercity or Interregional Travel (a National Perspective)
b) Public Transport for Urban Centres (an Urban Perspective)
c) Public Transport for Rural Areas (a Rural Perspective)

Each category has its particular set of characteristics, needs, and requirements, and would require different solutions.

It is therefore important to explore and analyse the different nature and context of demand between these three different perspectives. What are needed to connect different parts of the Peninsula together, from north to south, and from east to west? How best to overcome these spatial separations and to enhance the ease for mobility for greater interaction of people from different regions?While for urban centres, an important task is to “decongest these urban centres”, to improve the operations and attractiveness of public transport such that commuters are offered a viable and practicable choice in getting to work places. For rural folks, the demand and needs may be different from that of the urban dwellers. Their desired destinations may not be offices or commercial buildings, but to their farms and local workshops or just the market place. And likewise, transport policies have to be tailored accordingly to these local circumstances and aspirations.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Ir. Dr. Tai Tuck Leong

Ir. Dr. Tai Tuck Leong is currently the Managing Director of Perunding Trafik Klasik Sdn Bhd, a local based consultancy company that specializes in Transportation Planning and Traffic Management.

Dr. Tai holds a PhD in Civil Engineering (Transportation) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and a B. Sc. in Civil Engineering with 1st Class Honours from Queen Mary College, University of London, United Kingdom. He is a member of the Board of Engineers, Malaysia (P. Eng), member of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (MIEM), member of the Institution of Highway and Transportation (MIHT), member of the Chartered Institute of Transport (MCIT), member of Institution of Professional Engineers, New Zealand (MIPENZ), a registered Engineer in New Zealand and a Road Safety Auditor.

Dr. Tai has more than 39 years of Professional experience and has undertaken many Highway Privatisation Projects, Transport Masterplan Studies and other Transport and Traffic Management Studies. Some of the projects which he has undertaken include the followings :-

- Sarawak Inland Waterways Transport System (SIWT) for UNDP.
- Klang Valley Integrated Public Transport Study for Prasarana.
- Johor Bahru Public Transport Study for UPEN, Johor
- Urban Transportation Study of Alor Star for HPU.
- Sustainable Urban Development Plan (SUDP) of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah for DANCED.
- Sibu Urban Transportation Study for Sibu Municipal Council, Sarawak.
- Integrated Transport Information System (ITIS) of Klang Valley for JICA.

Dr. Tai has also published a number of papers for various journals on Transportation and Highway Planning