PETALING JAYA: The present acute traffic congestion in the country, especially in the Klang Valley, is because Pakatan Harapan postponed and delayed several public transport infrastructure projects, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

       "When Pakatan became the government in 2018, it abandoned or postponed several mega public projects, including HSR, the Johor Woodlands RTS Link and the Electrified Double Tracking rail project.

       "They also downsized the LRT3 projects by cancelling five of its stations and the tunnel work as well as using trains with fewer carriages, ultimately causing the project to delay its completion until 2024," said the Transport Minister in a Facebook post on Saturday (June 4).

       He was responding to Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong who said there was a need to develop public transportation to reduce traffic congestion.

       "The operation of the MRT 2 project has also been delayed until June 16 after Pakatan abandoned the project.

       "As the 'anti-public transport' government, Pakatan has cancelled many public transport projects that may solve traffic congestion but now that it has become the Opposition, isn't it hypocritical for Liew to ask how to solve traffic congestion, to say the least?

       "I did not say the Transport Ministry is unable to solve traffic congestion but I had emphasised that the ministry is working towards solving traffic congestion.

       Dr Wee said the Road Transport Department (JPJ) had also issued a statement recently to emphasise the restriction of goods carrying vehicles from entering Kuala Lumpur city centre during peak hours, where many of them are ignoring this prohibition and causing traffic congestion in Selangor and KL during peak hours.

       "I have therefore instructed JPJ to increase their manpower to enforce this rule with the hope to reduce traffic congestion, including requesting for more traffic police to direct traffic in areas with severe congestion.

       "In the long-term, we need to improve the quality of our public transport and reduce traffic congestion due to the high number of cars on the road.

       Dr Wee said Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has also announced that the government had approved three new highway projects with the Federal Territories Ministry and DBKL studying different approaches to reduce traffic congestion.

       "The suggestion by Liew Chin Tong is very simple, which is that the government must support and provide subsidies for public transport, which we have done with RM115mil allocation for My50 and My100 unlimited travel passes.

       "I wonder how much more the government, which Liew Chin Tong claimed is almost going bankrupt, should increase its subsidies," asked Dr Wee.