GOMBAK, September 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today the government may consider introducing congestion charges in major Malaysian cities in the future, but only once the country has developed a “comprehensive” and reliable public transport system.
Speaking at the launch of the Gombak Integrated Terminal, Anwar stressed that imposing such charges now would place an unnecessary burden on the public. He explained that while other countries use congestion fees to reduce traffic and encourage commuters to switch to public transport, Malaysia must first strengthen its transit network through projects like LRT3 and the East Coast Rail Link.
Anwar noted that public transport has improved significantly compared to the 1990s and urged Malaysians to embrace the system, while hinting that congestion charges could be an eventual step to further ease urban traffic.
