IT IS indeed admirable to read that South-East Asian countries are learning from each other. South Korea emulated Malaysia in deciding to teach Mathematics and Science in English (The Star, June 13).
Malaysia plans to implement the gantry toll collection system used in Singapore and Hong Kong (The Star, June 13).
Now Perak wants to learn Singapore’s method of conserving heritage sites (The Star, June 13).
A more pressing area that the Perak government should look into is Singapore’s efficient transport system.
Even though Ipoh has achieved city status, it has a deplorable public transport system. Traffic is heavy and roads are congested mainly because the people do not have confidence in the buses and taxis which look old and ramshackled.
Why can’t Ipohites have the pleasure of enjoying a comfortable ride on buses, and which run on a regular basis?
New housing areas are sprouting up like mushrooms and yet no buses service these areas. Residents need to have their own transport or resort to taxis which do not use the meter to move within the city and nearby areas. The result is traffic congestion.
Another bone of contention is the bus terminals. The Inter-city bus terminal at Medan Gopeng is dark and dingy. It is so obvious that it was never meant to be a bus station.
The covered car park is dimly lit and the whole building needs sprucing up and regular maintenance.
The intra-city bus station at Medan Kidd has been in existence for ages. The town has grown into a city, but the premises have remained unchanged. It looks drab and definitely needs a fresh coat of paint.
Ipoh only recently began enjoying the shuttle train service to Kuala Lumpur, and shuttle flights to Singapore are beginning in July.
Can the Perak government improve the road transport system as well to make it safe and secure for residents? While at it, it should also investigate ways and means to coordinate the various modes of transport so that places in Ipoh are more easily accessible.
The STAR, Letters to the Editor (Monday, June 15, 2009)
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