PJ targets 40% public transport use

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has set an ambitious goal: 40% public transport usage rate by 2045.

This push for sustainable urban mobility is vital as only 10% of the city’s population currently uses public transport based on its statistics, says Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon.

MBPJ’s effort is part of its aspiration for green living, supported by the first Petaling Jaya Urban Transportation Master Plan (PIP) in 2015.

The plan sought to understand the city’s transportation challenges and urban mobility trends. It also pushed for more transit-orientated development (TOD).

However, stakeholders fear that the concept of TOD is being used merely to justify more high-density construction without ensuring adequate transport amenities or infrastructure.

They do not want to be short-changed in the name of progress.

MBPJ is the first council in the country to run six bus routes using its own funds.

New urban transport plan

To address these concerns and more, Mohamad Zahri said MBPJ will be rolling out a new plan, PIP 2.0, from 2026 to 2035, with RM527.3mil allocated for the period.

“Seven objectives focusing on public transportation, traffic management, walkway, cycling and micromobility infrastructure, parking management, goods vehicle traffic management, transit-oriented development, and city transportation administration are planned to achieve the goals,” he said during a series of workshops