Jamilah Mohamad

The Rise of the Private Car in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Assessing the Policy Options

This paper gives an overview of the growth in private car ownership and usage in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the associated implications. The authors relate that rising incomes, stemming from Malaysia’s rapid economic growth and development, are the major driving force for car ownership. Statistics from 1983 through 2004 reveal the significant growth rate in vehicle registration. Additional statistics indicate that the increase in the number of vehicles on roadways has resulted in a decline in average route travel speeds, an increase in traffic congestion, as well as an increase in road accidents. While the need for implementing transportation demand management (TDM) measures has become very evident, the authors note that policy makers have not been very successful in their efforts. The authors conclude that in order to effectively restrain or control private car ownership and usage in Kuala Lumpur, politically unpopular measures, such as congestion charging, high vehicle and fuel taxes, or parking charges, may need to be implemented.