Kuala lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged that land owned by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana), situated near public transport stations, be transformed into people's housing projects following the transit-oriented development (TOD) concept.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar highlighted the importance of developing strategic areas near transport hubs, such as LRT and MRT stations, with a focus on adequate parking facilities and commercial spaces for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. He emphasized that such an approach would not only help reduce commuters' travel costs and encourage greater use of public transport but could also generate stronger commercial returns. Anwar stated that the focus should be on people's housing rather than luxury housing, complemented by small and medium-sized shops and stalls to add value.
Anwar has mandated Transport Minister Anthony Loke to expedite the development of Prasarana's extensive land holdings in densely populated urban areas, ensuring these lands are utilized for the benefit of the people. He called for strengthened cooperation between the Transport Ministry, Prasarana, the Finance Ministry, state governments, and local authorities to accelerate the implementation of TOD projects.
He urged the Chief Secretary, Prasarana, the Selangor Menteri Besar, and the Shah Alam Mayor to work together to implement these projects swiftly. Anwar stressed the importance of prioritizing people's housing near public transport stations, as lower-income groups struggle to own homes without government intervention and support.
Anwar also underscored the necessity for bureaucratic reform to expedite approval processes for development projects, including people's housing. He noted that while Malaysia has shown progress in international competitiveness reports, ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of public service delivery are essential.
He reiterated the need for integrity, emphasizing, "do not steal money, do not embezzle, do not use delays to take commissions that are not rightfully ours." Anwar expressed his desire for Prasarana land development projects under the TOD concept to exemplify efficient and swift project approvals, aiming to complete people's housing around Shah Alam within the next two to three years.
Earlier, the Prime Minister experienced the LRT3 train journey from Seri Andalas station to Johan Setia station, which took about 15 minutes. Also in attendance were Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.