Transit Oriented Development - TOD

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (TOD) is the exciting fast growing trend in creating vibrant, liveable communities. It is the creation of compact, walkable communities centered around a high quality train system.  This makes it possible to live a higher quality life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and survival.

Transit oriented development is a major solution to the serious and growing problems of peak oil and climate change  by creating dense, walkable communities connected to a train line that greatly reduce the need for driving and the burning of fossil fuels.

Residents in a TOD development experience higher quality life with better places to live, work and play. There will be high property values.

Residents will experience healthier lifestyles with more walking and less stress. There will be less traffic congestion and less driving.

These pedestrian friendly  communities offer more opportunities to get to know others and creates a friendlier town. It will also create a better sense of place and community identity with each unique architecture.

TOD also allows more open spaces to enjoy and remain open space thus more effecient use of tax money with less spent on spread out utilities and roads.
Businesses will have increased sales through higher foot traffic. There will also be more spending money from less spent on cars and petrol.

Local governments will spend less on infrastructure and utilities due to compact  high density projects. Increased tax base due to high density with lower spending on security and infrastructure maintenance.
The factors driving the trend towards TOD includes rapidly growing mind numbing traffic congestion nationwide.

There is also a growing desire for high quality urban lifestyles plus increased desire for walkable lifestyles away from traffic. Changing family lifestyles ie more singles and empty nesters also drives a need for TOD.

For TOD to be effective its components must include walkable designs where pedestrians have highest priority, with a train station as its town center's prominent feature. There must also be high quality and high density development within 10 minute walk circle of the central train station.

There should exist also support systems such as buses and taxis. The development must also have designs that include easy use of bicycles as part of the daily transportation systems.

Parking spaces within 10 minutes walking  circle should be reduced and properly managed.

With the above definition of TOD and the reasons for TOD it must be appreciated that higher plot ratios must be a part and parcel of the idea.

However, the conditions towards getting the higher plot ratios must be focused towards the objectives of the concept of TOD.

Therefore, I am suggesting the following conditions to be considered.

For an area to be classified as TOD there must also exist a green space or park within a 1km radius of the train station.

This park has to be upgraded with recreational facilities with walking and cycling connections. Eventually the space should be jointly adopted by local Residents Association and local businesses.

The development includes high rise residential homes. However we should do away with the normal parking space requirements.

Whilst parking spaces must be made available however they should not be accessorised to the parcels. Home owners have the option of purchasing or renting the car park spaces.

With no need to include the cost of car park space, homes become cheaper and more affordable. A ceiling selling prices would be part of the conditions of TOD approval.

Each development must also include taxi and bus lay-bys in covered areas within the property.

The fee for commercial car park spaces must be regulated. It must be calculated to make it more expensive to park than to use public transport if there are 3 or less passengers in the car.

The plot ratios of areas just outside the 3km radius of TOD must be kept to the minimum to compensate for the higher plot ratio given to TOD. This is necessary in order that the surrounding existing infrastructure will still be sustainable.
It cannot be emphasised enough that TOD is only allowed if it contributes to reducing the use of private cars and encourage use of public transport, walking or cycling. The development must also have a positive impact on increasing the quality of life for residents in the area.

It is the responsibility of local councils to provide enough spaces for all its residents and visitors and passer-by. As more migrations into the city is expected, creating living and working spaces above ground is a viable and possibly the only solution.

Therefore the concept of TOD is the choice solution. It can be managed and designed to keep enough green spaces as well as recreational spaces. This is achievable via higher plot ratios applied responsibly with strict enforceable conditions.

In summary, as people's lifestyles and expectations change, the local councils responsibilities changes as well.

Traditional planning approach needs to be modified to suit changing needs. Changing needs mean the ability to think out of the box.

TOD concept is indeed an ideal solution but have to be applied responsibly in order to fulfil the local councils responsibility, the people's expectations as well as social needs.

Applying TOD means also approving higher plot ratios which is not necessary a bad thing. Higher plot ratio is a solution, not a problem. However it must be applied responsibly.

Ultimately the objective of reduced private vehicle usage, increase in public transport ridership and improved quality of life must be the focus.

Thank you.

Belanjawan2015 - Pengangkutan Awam Darat

Belanjawan2015 telah memperuntukan sejumlah wang yang agak besar untuk mengatasi masalah kesesakan jalanraya di Lembah Klang.

Beberapa lebuhraya akan dibina bersama dengan dua laluan MRT dan LRT.
Malangnya tiada sebarang initiatif diperkenalkan untuk mengurangkan penggunaan kereta persendirian. Begitu juga tiada cadangan untuk menggalakkan penggunaan pengangkutan awam darat.

Saya ingin cadangkan beberapa initiatif hasil daripada pemikiran di luar kotak. Penyelesaian jangkamasa panjang hanya akan tercapai melalui initiatif pelbagaian dan dari kerjasama semua pihak yang berkepentingan.

Kad Transit
Saya cadangkan syarikat-syarikat swasta diberikan kecualian cukai sekiranya mereka memberikan Kad Transit (Travel Card) kepada tenaga kerja mereka.
Ini bererti tenaga kerja dapat menggunakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam darat secara percuma untuk pergi kerja. Ini bererti penjimatan kos pengangkutan.
Initiatif ini juga bererti penggurangan penggunaan kereta persendirian.

Sistem kongsi kereta (Car Pooling)
Warga kerja juga harus digalakkan untuk berkongsi kereta untuk pergi kerja.
Maka dicadangkan kawasan-kawasan pusat bandar diwartakan khas dimana kereta-kereta persendirian dikenakan bayaran yuran khas (surcharge) sekiranya mahu masuk kawasan dengan kurang daripada 4 orang dalam kereta itu.
Hanya kereta-kereta dengan resit yuran khas ini dikenakan bayaran parking minima manakala harga parking untuk kereta-kereta lain dikenakan bayaran yang jauh lebih tinggi.
Initiatif ini pula akan mengurangkan pengunaan kereta persendirian sebanyak 60% di kawasan pusat bandar.

Laluan Khas Bas dan Teksi
Adalah dicadangkan juga untuk JKR dan PBT terlibat menyediakan laluan-laluan khas untuk bas dan teksi. Ini akan dapat membantu mengurangkan masa perjalanan jika menggunakan pengangkutan awam darat berbanding kereta persendirian.
Maka initiatif ini menjadikannya lebih cepat jika menggunakan pengangkutan awam berbanding kereta persendirian.

Cukai khas kereta persendirian.
Demi mencapai matlamat untuk mengurangkan penggunaan kereta persendirian, saya mencadangkan satu  bayaran khas untuk kereta persendirian. Di peringkat PBT, rumah-rumah yang mendaftar lebih daripada 2 kereta akan dikenakan bayaran khas untuk kereta ke 3 dan keatas.
Manakala, untuk rumah-rumah tanpa kereta pula akan diberikan kurangan cukai pintu.
Cadangan ini dapat membahagikan tanggungjawab yang lebih rata kepada mereka yang menyumbang kepada kesesakan jalan dan lebuhraya kami.

Laluan basikal dan pejalan kaki.
Pihak PBT juga harus digalakkan untuk menyediakan lebih laluan berbasikal yang selamat dalam sekitar 3km daripada kawasan perumahan ke pusat pengangkutan awam dan pusat aktiviti ekonomi.
Ini bukan sahaja mengurangkan penggunaan kereta persendirian tetapi juga  kurangkan kesesakan jalanraya.
Disamping itu, initiatif ini dapat mengurangkan jejak karbon, sekaligus mengurangkan pencemaran dan membina budaya sihat dalam masyarakat.

Station-station pengangkutan awam dan pejabat-pejabat digalakkan untuk menyediakan bilik mandi bagi keselesaan mereka yang menaiki basikal.
Pihak PBT harus digalakkan untuk menyediakan laluan pejalan kaki untuk persekitaran station-station pengangkutan awam ke kawasan perumahan dalam sekitar 1km.
Gabungan kedua-dua initiatif ini dapat membina budaya yang sihat dalam masyarakat.

Perkhidmatan Bas Pengantara, Bas Percuma
Semua station-station tren serta pusat-pusat membeli belah harus diwajibkan menyediakan khidmat bas pengantara berkos rendah atau percuma dalam persekitaran 5km.
Ini semestinya mengurangkan penggunaan kereta persendirian dan dapat menyumbang kepada penggurangan kesesakan jalanraya.
Perkhidmatan bas percuma oleh PBT juga dapat menggalakkan penggunaan pengangkutan awam darat.

Menaikan Kadar Kos Meletak Kereta
PBT seharusnya menaikkan kadar bayaran meletak kereta di pusat-pusat bandar. Di station "Park n Ride" pula, kadar yang rendah harus dipertimbangkan bagi kereta penuh atau mereka yang menggunakan khidmat pengangkutan awam.

Tidak ada satu jawapan untuk mengatasi masalah kesesakan jalanraya di sekitar Lembah Klang.

Namun saya pasti ada penyelesaiannya sekiranya kita sanggup dan berani mengambil keputusan yang mungkin kurang mendapat sokongan popular.

Semua pihak harus bekerjasama dan pihak kerajaan harus mengambil initiatif untuk menyediakan dana yang secukupnya. Menaik taraf kemudahan yang sedia ada dan  membina infrastruktur baru yang praktikal jauh lebih rendah kos berbanding dengan membina lebuhraya baru.

Lebuhraya baru hanya menjemput lebih kereta dan terus mencemar udara dan alam sekitar.Ia juga tidak menyelesaikan masalah kesesakan jalanraya, malah menambahkan masalah sebenarnya.

Pengguna lebuhraya baru ini akan terus dibebankan dengan pembayaran tol jalanan tanpa dapat melihat penghujung kepada pembayaran tol.

Maka dicadangkan untuk belanjawan2015 dana yang disediakan untuk pembinaan lebuhraya di Lembah Klang harus dikaji semula.

Sebaliknya kerajaan harus serius menyediakan dana dan ambil initiatif untuk menaik taraf infrastruktur dan kualiti khidmat pengangkutan awam darat.

Terima kasih.

Pendapat saya berkenaan Belanjawan 2015

Belanjawan 2015. 

Sekali lagi, Menteri Kewangan membentangkan belanjawan yang  lebih pentingkan perbelanjaan untuk kepentingan politik daripada membangunkan negara.

Peningkatan wang BRIM dan sumbangan kahwin dan lain-lain diterima baik tetapi ini bukan jawapan jangkamasa panjang.
Tanggungjawab kerajaan adalah menggalakkan pembangunan dan ekonomi agar rakyat dapat peluang pekerjaan dan peningkatan taraf hidup. Ini dapat menjadikan rakyat berdikari dan merasa bangga dengan pencapaian diri.

Malangnya belanjawan2015 lebih menjurus kepada menjadikan rakyat lebih bergantung kepada pemberian wang daripada kerajaan: membina masyarakat pengemis dan bukan membina masyarakat berbudaya rajin dan bekerja kuat.

Maka saya kecewa dengan belanjawan2015 kerana penambahan peratusan belanja pentadbiran dan kurang pula untuk pembangunan negara. Tiada perancangan jangkamasa panjang untuk membina negara.

Kementerian Pendidikan mendapat hampir 25% daripada jumlah perbelanjaan tetapi yang dikhaskan untuk pembangunan sekolah tidak sampai 10% daripada jumlah itu. Lebih 75% disediakan untuk kos pentadbiran.

Maka saya ingin berkongsi dan mengingatkan Menteri Kewangan bahawa beza antara seorang ahli politik dan seorang negarawan.

Yang pertama hanya merancang untuk pilihanraya yang akan datang. Manakala seorang negarawan pula akan merancang untuk generasi akan datang.

Ahli politik akan cepat dilupakan tetapi seorang negarawan akan diraikan sebagai tokoh dan wira.

Saya sudahi pendapat ringkas saya dengan membawa perhatian bahawa saya gunakan istilah belanjawan dan bukan bajet kerana saya pertahankan penggunaan Bahasa Malaysia asli.

Terima kasih.

Of the MB and beer

So its beer season again, yes OktoberFest is back in town!

This event, celebrated without much fanfare in previous years is given much attention this year. Our caring cousins from PAS took offence to a billboard advertising the event.

Thus there were calls that this kind of event promoting beer should be banned. Public outrage against PAS was as expected. However, it was good to see many within PAS spoke out quickly reminding their colleagues that their values cannot be forced upon others.

After much ado over nothing, the event was celebrated as always but this year in a more remote 4th floor carpark instead.

Also this year's event saw an unprecedented turnout of both national and state law makers. Local council councillors also showed up in solidarity. And thus, common sense prevailed, rights respected but with a slight dent.

September ended with Selangor having sworn in a new Mentri Besar. Initial comments were welcoming and with lots of optimism and hope.

Selangorians saw a well presented MB: full of charm and good looks. But these physical attributes were also accompanied by rolled-up sleeves and hands-on approach with him on the ground.

So with a positive first step, we now look forward to real substances beyond the well presented Public Relations exercise. The truth is in the tasting.

I am looking forward to Azmin Ali's first budget presentation and his first real policy decision after all these initial high.

My sincere prayers and best wishes to the new MB of Selangor.

Ammending the local town plans

Ammendments to the local town plans.

Every city or town is developed via a pre planned document known as the local town plan. In most instances, this local plan is an official document made legal by law, ie the plans are gazetted.

The local town plan includes specific details such as identifying green spaces and every plot of land. The allowed use of each plot is mentioned either individually or grouped within a particular zone. Even the nature of allowed business may also be specified.

The purpose of these town plans are to ensure the sustainability of developments as well as the quality of life for its residents.

Over time, such plans may need to undergo ammendments. Ammending the gazetted plan is a serious task and as in the initial plans, it goes through public participation and involvement as well.
In proposing any ammendments, it must clearly state the reasons. It is also important to see each ammendment in the context of the overall plan. Minimum requirements for ammenities such as green lungs, markets, services including fire statio n and police stations, schools and parks must not be compromised. Infact ammendments should enhance these services not reduce it.

The ammendments can only be adopted if the initial infrastructure for that locality can accommodate the increase in traffic volume and density from the changes.

Therefore converting an open space into commercial use and allowing a multi story building should not be taken lightly.
Simple excuse that the open space is underutilised and becoming an eyesore or that its a private land is no reason to allow the ammendment.

It must also take into consideration the surrounding road system, the sewage system, the drainage and power supply grid capacity. These are basic essentials that contribute to the quality of life for residents.

Therefore each and every ammendment to a town plan can have a major impact on the rest of the township. It is a serious matter and should be treated as such.

Residents must also play their part in voicing support or objections to any proposed ammendments. Residents can also suggest their proposals for ammendments too.

Currently, individuals can also object and raise their concerns to any ammendments. It is important that the voice of the individual is also heard.

However, I would prefer to see a situation where for each locality, the individual's voice is grouped and spoken through the local residents associatio n. This means that the individual's concern has been discussed and adopted by the neighbours: giving it more merit.

The current ammendment exercise undertaken by MBPJ is experiencing great interest amongst PJ residents. This is a great step forward in resident interest, concern and involvement.

The proposals are being carefully scrutinised by residents and brought into public discussion. This augurs well for the future of Petaling Jaya.

It may appear to be a turbulent ride for the council to go through. Nevertheless, the long term benefits for the council and to the residents are very important.

For that reason, I would support the call for the current proposed ammendments to be recalled. A committee involving different stake holders should re look again at the proposed ammendments before re tabling it to the public.

The subsequent proposals must take into consideration the longterm public transportation infrastructure plus maintaining and increasing public spaces including green lungs and recreational facilities as part of its objectives and reasoning.

It may be a time consuming exercise but we owe it to the future generation. We must do our minimum best to ensure Petaling Jaya continues to be a vibrant liveable city of choice.

On the 2:30 to Batu Pahat

Sitting here at platform 16 TBS Bus Station waiting for my 2:30 bus to BatuPahat.

Time to reflect on the past fortnight where the nation officially mourned the passing of MH17 and we are still in the midst of the Selangor Mentri Besar fiasco.

Just a month plus few days after being shot down, the bodies of the crew and passengers  were brought home for final rites and burial. 20 bodies  were received with full military honours by no less than His Majesty the King himself.

The nation mourned as one big family in a fitting tribute themed United in Grief.

I joined fellow Malaysians at Dataran Merdeka in what i thought was a perfect place to pay my respects.

I was in white baju melayu together with over 100 others mostly in black. At 10:54 we said a silent prayer in our own faith, in honour and memory of those who perished in MH17.

Yes, Malaysia and Malaysians can be united not just in grief but at all times.

Our diversity is our strength to build upon. It is not a weakness and certainly not to be used to separate us.

The past week also reminded us of the importance of being meticulate in all that we do. The "tidak apa" attitude has no place in our culture.

It was this very culture that saw the collapse of a 6 tons and 20 feet long cement span on the MRT construction site in Sg Buloh killing 3 workers.

I pray that they will rest in peace and that their families will be well taken care of by the company.

PKR finally took the brave but not so popular decision to sack Khalid Ibrahim from the party. However things did not go the way it should when TSKI chose to hold on to his position.

The palace was made to believe that he had the majority support of the State Assembly. When this was proven untrue, he finally caved in but alas, the palace now chooses to be "king maker".

However I strongly believe that His Highness will respect democracy and appoint a new Mentri Besar soon.

I hope that by next weekend we would have sworn in the first woman Mentri Besar.

This political turmoil in Selangor clearly revealed the best and the worst in human characters. Who are true friends and foe: who are truly champions of democracy and peoples' rights or purely opportunists, all was revealed.

In our true Malaysian spirit, I am confident we will ride through this storm and all will be well. It will be a win-win situation for all as both sides of the divide will claim moral victory.

In the past fortnight, I was also kept busy with Hari Raya open houses and the Hungry Ghost prayers and celebration.

In respect for MH17 I chose to decline invitations until after the day of national mourning.

All in, the past 2 weeks have been sad, relieved and inspirational for me. I am thankful for some families of MH17 finding closure and praying the rest would get closure soonest possible.

I am also looking forward to a change in governance in Selangor and to perhaps be able to play a bigger role.

Whilst we remember and mourn for MH17, I pray we will never forget MH370.

To my friend Capt Zaharie, sitting at the porch of our friend' s house last week, I saw the two fluorescent light that you fixed last year.

As the light brought comfort to us, I pray God will give light that the searchers may see where MH370 is. May the light shine the way to closure for all and to move on.

I look forward to the Lantern Festival ahead and the Merdeka Celebration. Indeed, "di sini mulanya kisah cinta"

The Sacking, Hungry Ghosts and the local council.

Klang Valley is back to normality after the festive break.

We are in the midst of festive open houses albeit in a smaller scale. We are also in the midst of the Chinese "hungry ghosts festival" - paying homage to the departed souls of the loved ones. We also celebrate the holy month for the Hindu communities.

This year, all these celebrations are on a much modest scale as we honour the victims of MH17 and remember those missing on MH370.

On returning back from the festive holidays my councillor friends in the Petaling Jaya City Council had a major issue at hand.

They discovered that there was to be made public the city's proposed ammendments to the town plans. The public were to be invited to state their objections to these proposals, if any or to indicate their support and comments.

On its own, this is what is legally required of the council. However, these proposed ammendments were not  informed to the councillors first, thus they raised objections.

The proposals were discussed and at that point there were some issues objected by the councillors. The state authority however decided to proceed with the proposals having noted the councillors objections.

Thus the council were instructed to publicly display these ammendments.

The councillors decision to issue a press  statememt distancing themselves from the proposed ammendments than did not go well with the mayor and the council directors.

I hope that in this confusion we have not lost sight of the fact that the law has to be respected and service to the community remains priority. Also the independence of the third tier of governance must be seen to be so.

Nevertheless, I hope concerned residents will take the opportunity to understand the future city plans and to give their comments as necessary: the city's future is at stake.

A bigger issue that arose after the festive break is about the Mentri Besar of Selangor. He was asked to resign and be replaced by the party president.

He refused to make way and thus ensued a very much public washing of dirty personal and party laundry.

It concluded with very dirty laundry waste water being thrown into the public domain: the MB was sacked from his party.

For me, its not if the MB is guilty or not of the speculated shortcomings. His appointment as the state's chief executive was by the political party thus he should now also abide by the decision of the party ie to resign.

The PR coalition is bound by their commitment to the voters for a clean transparent government. Thus if there is even an ounce of suspicion of some questionable deals, it is the coalition's duty to act.

And act they did: however it did not go well with some of the public simply because of how events came about.

Nevertheless I applaud the party and the coalition for daring to do the right thing even if it means facing the wrath of the voters.

I pray for common sense to prevail, looking at the end, the objectives. Stay focused and together we can still bring on the changes we are striving to bring.

I also pray that we wash off the dirty laundry water from the streets and move on.

Lets conclude Syawal and the special months in both the Chinese and Hindu calendars in a positive step.

Let us prepare to be one in honouring the victims of MH17 as their bodies are brought home, remembering them but not and never forgetting the missing MH370 and all on board.