The 'Newer' Penang Bus Service

Categories: Malaysia

Barely 2 months and the Penang State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan has already given up on the revamped bus service started on April 1. This is hardly surprising given that the same bus company that failed to provide a decent service for the last 10 years was given a second chance when their contract was renewed. With the 'newer' revamped public bus service, the Municipal Council will now manage the bus service. This seems to complete the full circle for the public bus service in Penang.

I am not surprise that the revamped bus service started on April 1 failed. Like I said in my previous blog, the problem lies with the philosophy of the company. A tiger don't change its stripes. Unless the management change, the philosophy will be the same, the thinking will be the same and hence the result will be the same.

In the same blog I also proposed the use of tender system to try to solve the bus service problem. And this will be precisely the method used for the 'newer' revamped bus service. It is strange that only now such a system will be used. I am not sure about the reason behind the previous decision but maybe affirmative policy may have a role to play. Even then a tender system can also be tweaked to accommodate the affirmative policy. I am sure the tender system is a far more superior one because at least the tender has an interest and a plan. At the very least, new players are tried out.

It is surprising that Dr Teng Hock Nan should still be in office for such incompetence. This was the same guy who said that the state government cannot do anything about the public transport because "Public transport in Penang is operated by privately-owned companies and the authority issuing permits and licences is the CVLB. The CVLB and the JPJ are also responsible for enforcement." That was in January 2006. Then in March he announced the new zoning system but inexplicably using the same bus companies that had failed the last 10 years. I wonder how he is going to account for his dismal decisions. Maybe it is time for him to retire so that someone with more gray matter can take over make things work!

Looks I was not too pessimistic after all, only too realistic!