It’s federal red tape that derailed Penang LRT project

It’s federal red tape that derailed Penang LRT project



From Joshua Woo


Rosli Khan has actively advocated to replace Penang’s light rail transit (LRT) plan with an autonomous road tram or autonomous rail rapid transit (ART), also known as a “trackless tram”.

His piece would have been clearer and more objective without the embedded misleading insinuations.

The complaint about the delay of the LRT development is understandable, as I and other Penangites share the same frustration.

However, the delay is not caused by the Penang state government as implied by Rosli. He has missed out the important factor of a federal guarantee being cancelled in November 2020 which is necessary to finance the LRT project.

The federal government has fully financed the construction of three LRTs, two Mass Rapid Transit, one Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and one monorail system in the Klang Valley.

The ART in Sarawak is funded by the federal government under the 12th Malaysia Plan, while RM1 billion of federal funds was allocated to the BRT in Johor that will deploy the ART vehicle.

Penang contributed the most to national exports (29%) and received the highest foreign manufacturing investment in 2021 (41%). However, the federal government that funds other rail systems in the country did not issue a guarantee for Penang to obtain a loan to develop its own LRT.

Besides the absence of financing aid, there are also various forms of federal red tape that prevent Penang from developing the Penang South Islands that will provide the necessary land for the LRT depot; state land scarcity on the mainland and island is an established fact. Other similar developments in Melaka and Johor do not have such barriers.

Many can certainly agree with the merits of the ART, and that the installation cost could be cheaper than the LRT.

That said, the trackless tram moving on the street actually functions the same as a bus. In fact, that’s what David Levinson, professor of transport engineering at the University of Sydney, calls the ART – a bus.

If cost is the main determining factor, then we should go for the articulated bus, which is cheaper than the ART.

However, like all on-ground bus systems, the trackless tram and articulated bus share the same problem of street space competition with other vehicles, highly exposed to accident risks, and less efficient compared to an LRT on elevated track.

Furthermore, the ART is an untested technology provided by only one supplier in the world, which will be a maintenance nightmare for transport operators due to spare parts availability and uncompetitive pricing, as highlighted in a research paper by the Australasian Railway Association in April 2021.

The association’s chief executive officer, Caroline Wilkie said: “The international experience has shown that while the (trackless tram) may offer lower costs in the beginning, problems delivering reliable and comfortable journeys can lead to trackless trams being retired after a relatively short time in operation.”

Evaluation of any transport system’s merits has to be moderated by its disadvantages. Like the ART, the LRT has its own pros and cons.

Many have pointed out that the construction of the LRT could cost more than installing a bus system. However, the LRT’s technology, efficiency, and reliability have been established in many parts of the world. The pricing of LRT components is competitive and the maintenance requirement is readily accessible.



Joshua Woo is a former city councillor and heads the Sustainable Malaysia Association.