Mazli (right) fields questions from the floor during the forum.
KUCHING (June 12): The Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system here is projected to see around 100,000 daily riders within its first five years, said Sarawak Metro chief executive officer Mazli Mustaffa.
Acknowledging that this figure is relatively low compared to other major cities, Mazli emphasised that given Kuching’s demographics and the initial phase of the project, it is a realistic expectation.
“We need to be practical about this. There’s a lot we need to do, especially in terms of reliability of services, educating the public on using public transport and ramping up ridership,” he said.
Mazli highlighted the unique challenges faced by Kuching, such as its smaller population and secondary status compared to larger Malaysian cities like Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley.
“Kuching can be considered a secondary city. Therefore, the ridership is much lower compared to those mixed cities in Malaysia or within the region, such as Singapore and Bangkok.”
Mazli was speaking during a forum titled ‘Forging Ahead: Keeping Up with Green Hydrogen Developments in Sarawak’ at the Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen (APGH) Conference and Exhibition here on Tuesday, in response to a question regarding the estimated daily ridership of the ART and its expected fare.
Regarding the fare of the ART system, he highlighted the need for competitiveness, aligning with fare structures of public transport systems in larger cities.
“The fare will be very competitive, similar to what is charged for urban transit in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley.
“We are using technology that is a different mode of transport compared to the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Rail Transit),” he explained.
He added that the announcement would be made by the Sarawak government and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Energy group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili emphasised the importance of a comprehensive feeder bus network to support the ART system and enhance ridership.
“One of the key factors is having a comprehensive network, which will significantly enhance our chances of achieving higher,” he said.
Sharbini also highlighted the cultural challenge of encouraging Kuching residents to adopt public transport.
“In Kuching, it’s common for people to park their vehicle right in front of the shop they’re visiting. That’s going to be a key challenge because we need to encourage people to take the feeder bus to their destinations.
“However, with the right infrastructure and public education, these challenges could be overcome, paving the way for the ART system’s success,” he noted.