AMID the debate about reviving the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project, we should ask the man on the street what is more important now.
Is it the people's wellbeing or a mega project that probably matters only to professionals and transport experts?
Survey people in the lower-income groups on their thoughts. It is likely they will say other issues are waiting to be resolved, such as water supply and flooding woes, urban-rural road connectivity and worsening traffic congestion, among others.
A well-known headache is the high number of vehicles contributing to worsening traffic congestion in cities, especially during festive seasons.
The point is, besides urban rail and bus services, the government, especially the Transport Ministry, needs to focus on a smart solution to traffic issues by utilising all the resources, allocations and transport experts it can muster.
Address the congestion not only in Kuala Lumpur but also in Johor Baru, Shah Alam, Penang, Ipoh, Kota Baru, Kuching and others.
We should draw a lesson from HSR Taiwan. Seven years after operations, Taipei announced in 2014 that the operator has gone bankrupt due to accumulated debt and low ridership.
The same can be said about the British experience. Its railway is almost running at a loss for years, but the government props it up as a public and social responsibility to the British people.
The point is that Malaysia has sufficient rail connections considering the under-construction East Coast Railway Link and the Electric Train Service run by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd on the west coast of the peninsula.
As a construction industry technical professional and citizen, I feel there is a need for us to reassess what to focus on for the sake of the country.
DR MUHAMAD ROSDI SENAM
Bangi, Selangor