KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — Critics have urged the government to come up with more comprehensive and long-term solutions to address traffic congestion in the capital, following criticism of the Bangun KL initiative.
BERJASA vice president Afif Badhrulhisham described the defence of the project by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh as “naive and off the mark”.
He said merely arguing that the initiative is “better than nothing” and does not utilise public funds fails to address growing public dissatisfaction.
Lowering the benchmark
“Since when did our benchmark drop to ‘better than nothing’? The government must continuously improve and deliver meaningful solutions, and never choose inaction.” he said in a statement today.
Afif added, with the full capacity of ministerial resources, Putrajaya should be able to formulate policy-level interventions to tackle Kuala Lumpur’s worsening traffic congestion, rather than placing the burden on the public.
“Instead, the government shifts the burden onto the people, telling them to buck up, wake up earlier, and solve the problem themselves.”, he said.
Misplaced pride over public funds
He also criticised the notion of taking pride in not using public funds, stressing that it contradicts the government’s core responsibility.
“A minister boasting that a solution does not utilise public funds is akin to a firefighter trying and failing to put out a fire without using a firetruck,” he remarked.
“The government has both the mandate and access to public funds to solve national issues. People are expecting the prudent and effective spending, not avoidance of it.”
Call the Government for holistic solutions
Afif further called on the government to move beyond what he described as populist campaigns, and instead prioritise substantive policymaking.
“Enough with image-driven initiatives. The rakyat deserve a comprehensive, holistic, and strategic plan to address traffic woes,” he said.
He added that while such solutions may be less appealing for publicity, they reflect the fundamental responsibilities of governance.
“Live up to the responsibility, or step aside,” he said.
Afif Badhrulhisham
Vice President of BERJASA
