Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) new traffic scheme further aggravated the already congested KL roads yesterday morning. It is apparent that such plans were implemented with much shortsightedness. It is incredulous to say that Malaysians contribute billions of ringgit every year, in the form of taxes, only to be provided with such inefficient and substandard roads and traffic systems. Is the DBKL really Dumb aBout KL?
As a matter of fact, upon deeper inspection of the status quo, I feel the government should be compensating us instead.
It is a fact that Malaysian roads possess some of the most life endangering defects like potholes, poor signage and unlit lampposts. Consider the amount of damages incurred by your vehicle each time as you travel; then calculate the abhorrent costs that you are liable of, for instance, the more-than-regular repairs, maintenance and renewal of tires, rims and suspensions - which are just a few components of a vehicle.
KL roads and highways handle traffic and congestion in such an unfashionable manner that the typical Malaysian driver is stuck in a jam almost everyday, regardless of peak or non-peak hours. The term 'highway' can be defined as a public road intent to reduce the traveling time from one destination to another. Now consider the cost of petrol and valuable time forgone due to road congestion.
It makes perfect sense that, due to the negative impact caused by the government to road users, it is only reasonable that they subsidize our vehicle maintenance and petrol consumption; furthermore, as roads are not getting any better, the Malaysian road tax might as well be abolished.
