By Rosli Khan
Two recent headlines caught my eye: “Penang may scrap undersea tunnel plan” and “Penang seeks RM1.56 billion for PIL 1 highway”.
Both point to a worrying trend: Penang’s continued reliance on car-centric infrastructure as the default solution to traffic congestion.
It’s a tired formula – one that not only fails to solve the problem but worsens it over time. KL did that and look at what it has become.
Let’s be clear: the undersea tunnel, had it proceeded, would have funnelled even more cars from the mainland onto the island.
That’s not solving congestion – it’s importing more of it.
As for the proposed PIL 1 highway, the RM1.6bn price tag for next year’s budget is not only excessive, but the project itself is absurd in principle.
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Designed solely to cater to private vehicles, it excludes the majority of Penangites who rely on public transport or more affordable mobility options.
Flawed logic of more roads
The belief that building more roads will ease traffic has long been debunked. In reality, more roads generate more traffic – a transport phenomenon known as induced demand.
Over time, congestion doesn’t improve; it compounds.
Penang is already experiencing this, and the trajectory will only worsen if we continue to pour more public funds into concrete instead of common sense.
Learn from Singapore
It’s time to shift our focus from vehicle movement to people movement.
And in that, Penang can take valuable lessons from Singapore – a city-state that has successfully curbed congestion and built one of the most efficient transport systems in the world.
One of Singapore’s key policies is the certificate of entitlement, which regulates car ownership through a limited permit system.
Penang could adopt a similar approach to control the growth of private vehicles. We don’t need more roads – we need fewer cars.
In tandem with ownership controls, Penang must seriously invest in public transport and adopt a more proactive transport pricing mechanism.
Today, we’re contemplating spending RM13bn of federal public funds on a single elevated light rail transit (LRT) line, serving a small and short corridor by the coast with limited catchment areas.
For that same amount, the state could roll out an island-wide bus rapid transit (BRT) system – complete with dedicated lanes, thousands of new electric buses and proper passenger facilities.
This would serve more people more efficiently at a much faster pace and with a significantly lower operating cost.
Likewise, the proposed RM8.9bn total cost for PIL 1 (phase 1 of the “Pan Island Link”), for a mere 19km highway could instead be redirected to strengthen the Seberang Perai-Penang island corridor.
This is where traffic bottlenecks are most severe, and where the highest number of commuters would benefit from improved dedicated lane BRT and ferry services.
Honest pricing, bold policy
Why do we still charge just RM7 per car on the first Penang bridge when Singapore imposes a daily toll of S$14 on Malaysian vehicles entering its territory?
That pricing isn’t punitive – it’s strategic. It discourages unnecessary car trips, reduces congestion, and helps fund public transport infrastructure and services.
Penang must stop subsidising congestion and start managing it smartly.
A smarter, fairer way forward
Penang stands at a crossroads.
We can either stay trapped in a loop of highway expansion and car dependency, or we can break free by prioritising public transport, limiting private vehicle growth and planning our cities for people, not cars.
This isn’t about copying Singapore for the sake of imitation. It’s about applying what works, with local adaptations and political will.
The stakes are high: our quality of life, our environment and our economic vitality all depend on how we move people – not how we move vehicles.
It’s time for Penang to act boldly, rethink its transport future and build a system that serves everyone – not just those who drive. – Free Malaysia Today
Rosli Khan, a traffic planning consultant, has a masters in transport planning and a PhD in transport economics from Cranfield University in England.
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Penang should have strict rules on side stoping & parking. No more stop & side parking on the side road near town from 8am to 6pm. Heavy fine on this volition or car been toll to far away & hard to claim back like in Philadelphia & New York.
Those business loading/unloading only allow off peak hours.
Build multilevel parking out of town. We already have Grabe & e-hailing services. This can be implemented immediately without spending millions & billions of MYR. It’s just that the politicians are bold enough to make short term hurt but mid & long term gain move.
US do not rely on public transport or LRT or MRT or train heavily, yet their transportation which are more to car still move their country till today.
Yes. The state government is spending to much on building new roads but unable to maintain existing ones in proper conditions.
Full stop to LRT also. Bus n trams more feasible coz boarding at ground level. Don choke Penang with more cars. Dumb planing. .