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Cabinet Approval for Public Transport Fund

Posted on: Thursday, 16 March 2006, 00:00 CST

By Ranjeetha Pakiam

KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. - The RM4.4 billion saved by the cut in fuel subsidies will go to a trust fund for public transport.

The Cabinet today approved the Public Transportation Trust Fund which will be used to:

* Improve the integration of buses, the Light Rail Transit system, the monorail system and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad services;

* Improve the quality of bus services, especially in terms of route coverage and frequency of services; and,

* Expand the monorail and LRT networks.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Department today said the Government was confident that efforts to improve the public transport system would enhance service quality.

"This will in turn encourage more people to use public transport," the statement said.

On Feb 27, the Government increased the price of petrol and petroleum products by 30 sen a litre, with RON 97 petrol at RM1.92 a litre, diesel RM1.58 a litre and LPG RM1.75 a kilo.

Announcing the hike, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said the Government would use the savings from reduced oil subsidies to improve public transport.

The Prime Minister had also said that more measures would be announced to help people cope with the increase in fuel prices. The announcement could come "before or after" the tabling of the Ninth Malaysia Plan scheduled for March 31 in Parliament.

Source: New Straits Times

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