Anthony Loke: By 2030, There Will Be 31 Million Malaysian Drivers on the Road

Malaysian traffic is certainly no joke. While it is a daunting thing to face on a daily basis, a good number of urban Malaysians find driving to be the most convenient mode of transport despite the heavy traffic. Now, it looks like there will be a lot more vehicles on the road over the next decade!

According to Free Malaysia Today, Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook recently stated at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 that Malaysia is expected to see more people using vehicles on the road, with numbers going 1.4 times higher by the year 2030.

Source: the star

In relation to that, Loke stated that Malaysians’ mobility is also expected to triple from 40 million daily trips by car in 2010 to 131 million daily trips by 2030. 

However, while Malaysians will continue buying cars, the government will also focus on promoting our public transport services. He was quoted by the daily as saying,

“We can’t stop people buying cars if they can afford it. They can still use their cars during their leisure time. This does not go against our policy of promoting public transport at all.”

Source: star2

While on the subject of driving, Loke also highlighted Petronas’ new initiative to develop an app in 2019 that will reward drivers for good behaviour while on the road. According to the Transport Minister, if drivers collect enough points for their good behaviour, they can get discounts on fuel and tolls. Sounds like a good motivation to behave well on the road! 

What are your thoughts on this projected number of drivers in Malaysia by 2030? Let us know in the comments below!

Also read: KL-ites Spend 53 Minutes Stuck in Traffic Jams Everyday, Study Shows