Malaysia’s low public transport usage, more registered cars than driver population worries DPM Ahmad Zahid

Malaysia’s low usage of public transport and high number of vehicles on the road is putting a heavy burden on infrastructure and will affect the quality of life of the rakyat, says deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The DPM pointed out that public transport usage is around 25% in Malaysia, which is far lower than cities in first world countries like Japan’s Tokyo (73%), South Korea’s Seoul (63%) and Singapore (67%). On the flip side, the car penetration rate is super high – with 38.7 million registered cars as of end-2024, we have 727 cars for every 1,000 people, which is more cars than drivers.

“This trend doesn’t just put a heavy burden on infrastructure, but affects safety and the quality of life of the rakyat. We need a shift of attitude that can be achieved with a system that can be trusted, as well as comprehensive awareness campaigns,” he said.

Prasarana management, led by president and CEO Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, paid a visit to Ahmad Zahid in Putrajaya to discuss the direction of public transport in Malaysia and Prasarana’s role as the leader in the agenda of mobility for the rakyat. Prasarana is the operator of Rapid rail and bus public transport.

In the meeting, Azharuddin explained Prasarana’s strategic role in empowering the public transport system, including continuous efforts to improve the quality of service, the widening of the network and a customer-focused approach.

The company said that the DPM stated his confidence that with the commitment of agencies like Prasarana and the support of all stakeholders, Malaysia can move away from its dependency on private vehicles and head towards a public transport system that’s people friendly, sustainable and efficient.

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