MotoJaya

Asean Summit Roads Clear? Lessons for Malaysian Bikers!

Yo, fellow Malaysian bikers! Remember the Asean Summit recently? KL was playing host, and suddenly, roads usually jammed tighter than your grandma's rendang tin were... clear?! What gives?

Turns out, it's not *sihir*. A letter to the editor at FMT pointed out that the road closures gave us a real-world demo: less cars = less traffic. Simple as that!

Induced Demand & Our *Kiasu* Driving Habits

See, there's this thing called 'induced demand.' Build more highways, more people drive. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy of *jem*. We've been stuck in this cycle *lah*, building more and more roads, but *jem* just gets worse. Sound familiar, anyone?

"The Asean Summit gave us a live demo of what actually works: reduce the need and attractiveness of driving, and traffic goes down."

So, What Can We Do About It? (Besides *Menyelit*!)

Okay, so fewer cars is the key. But how *ah*? Here are some ideas that could actually work:

• Tear down unnecessary highways – especially the ones chopping up our city!
• Make city roads biker-friendly – think narrower lanes, more space for two-wheelers.
• *Kena* pay to drive during peak hours – congestion charges might sting, but it *might* work.
• Parking *pon* needs to be more expensive – make taking public transport more attractive.
• Time to reduce fuel subsidies – *Aduh*, petrol prices go up, but maybe people will think twice about driving everywhere.

Boost Public Transport: The Real *Hero*

Of course, all this only works if we have a decent alternative to driving. Think more buses, dedicated bus lanes (that *really* get enforced), and better train service. RapidKL already showed they could increase train frequency during the summit; so why not all the time *kan*?

Let's not forget facilities for *jalan kaki* and cycling too – shaded walkways, safe crossings, and dedicated cycling paths are key!

Yes, It's Hard, But Other Cities Have Done It!

Look at Paris, London, Seoul, and New York – they've all made tough decisions to prioritize people over cars, and it's paid off! Better air, more liveable cities, less *jem*.

The Time To Act Is *Sekarang*!

Every year we delay, the worse it gets. We're stuck in a system that benefits highway companies and petrol stations while everyday Malaysians just suffer in traffic. Time to say enough *lah*!

"If we don’t reduce the demand for driving, the gridlock won’t just persist. It will define us."

Let's push for a Malaysia where we're not slaves to our cars. Less *jem*, more life. *Boleh*?