I have elaborated in my previous article on the setting up of a Sabah Logistics Council (SLC). This is a critical precursor towards a transport masterplan for the state. I am now attempting to fast forward a situation where on the successful setting up of the SLC, what would it take to bring us to a transport masterplan.
A transport
masterplan is a comprehensive and long-term strategy that outlines the vision,
goals, and objectives for the development and management of a transportation
system within a specific region or city. The underlying factors considered in
formulating a transport masterplan can vary depending on the local context and
specific needs, but here are some common factors:
1.
Population Growth: Understanding the projected
population growth in the area is crucial as it directly impacts transportation
demand. The masterplan should account for the anticipated increase in residents
and their commuting patterns.
2.
Existing Infrastructure: Evaluating the current
transportation infrastructure, including roads, highways, railways, airports,
and public transit systems, helps identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas in
need of improvement or expansion.
3.
Mobility Patterns: Analysing existing travel patterns,
including commuting flows, peak travel times, and traffic congestion hotspots,
provides insights into the current transportation needs and challenges. This information
can guide the development of strategies to enhance mobility and reduce
congestion.
4.
Land Use and Urban Planning: Coordinating
transportation planning with land use and urban planning is crucial.
Integrating transportation considerations into land use decisions helps create
walkable neighbourhoods, encourages transit-oriented development, and reduces
the need for long-distance travel.
5.
Environmental Sustainability: Promoting sustainable
transportation solutions is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
improving air quality, and minimizing the environmental impact of the transport
system. The masterplan should incorporate strategies to encourage the use of
public transit, walking, cycling, and electric vehicles.
6.
Economic Development: Recognizing the role of
transportation in supporting economic growth is important. The masterplan
should consider the transportation needs of businesses, industrial areas,
commercial centres, and logistics hubs to ensure efficient freight movement and
facilitate trade.
7.
Technological Advancements: Keeping abreast of emerging
technologies and transportation innovations is crucial for a forward-looking
masterplan. This includes considering intelligent transportation systems,
electric and autonomous vehicles, mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platforms, and
data-driven approaches to optimize transportation operations.
8.
Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with various
stakeholders, including government agencies, transportation operators,
community organizations, businesses, and the general public, ensures that the
masterplan reflects diverse perspectives, needs, and aspirations. Collaborative
decision-making and input from stakeholders can lead to more effective and
widely accepted transportation solutions.
9.
Funding and Resources: Developing a realistic
financial framework to support the implementation of the masterplan is
essential. Assessing available funding sources, potential public-private
partnerships, and exploring innovative financing mechanisms can help ensure the
feasibility and sustainability of the proposed transportation initiatives.
By considering these underlying factors, a transport masterplan can guide the development of a transportation system that is efficient, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the community it serves and for improvement of the supply chain industry in general.
There are many examples of transportation master plans in our
country. For instance:
• Penang Transport
Master Plan (PTMP) is a comprehensive and well-connected transport strategy
that sets the framework for an integrated and modern transport system in
Penang, Malaysia. It covers both land and sea, comprising various
transportation systems and services such as an elevated light rail transit
(LRT) line, bus rapid transit (BRT), tram, taxi, e-hailing, ferry and water
taxi.
• National
Transportation Master Plan (NTMP) is a policy document that guides the
development of the logistics industry in Malaysia to further improve its
productivity and competitiveness with the vision to become “The Preferred
Logistics Gateway to Asia”. The NTMP outlines five strategic shifts and 21
action items to be implemented.
• National
Transport Policy (NTP) 2019-2030 is an overarching policy that provides
direction for relevant federal ministries and agencies as well as state
governments and local authorities in Malaysia to develop and streamline
transport initiatives towards a common goal. The NTP aims to enhance mobility
for all Malaysians while ensuring environmental sustainability.
As for now the
overall situation in the state as regards the logistics and transport industry is
as follows:
1.
Sabah lacks the basic transport and logistics
infrastructure to serve its economics needs. There is a need to put things in
perspective before we can embark upon a comprehensive masterplan.
2.
There is critical need for data support for any
planning to take place. Data from the supply chain industry is crucial towards any
planning efforts to take place.
3.
The need to set up a body such as a Sabah Logistics
Council (SLC) is crucial to take stock of things and to put things in
perspective to enable analysis of the status of ongoing activities.
4.
There is no coordinating body to address issues
faced by the industry especially of logistics players in providing efficient
services. This is where the SLC role will serve as a one roof institution to collect
data and information and to harness them and recommend for ways of resolving
them.
5.
The prime objective is to put things in perspective
so that we can put up the basic needs of the economy which is to facilitate
trade.
6.
With trade facilitation mechanism in place, it
would be timely for a Transport Masterplan to be mooted.
7.
It is therefore crucial that all stakeholders need to
play their roles to ensure that we have the necessary data collected and
collated to move forward efficiently.
These are crucial needs towards an eventual
transport masterplan for Sabah. With a masterplan we should then be able to
steer and facilitate trade and the economy in a planned and sustainable manner.
This way we will be better able to channel the finances towards a cohesive
transport infrastructure development. Budgeting towards harnessing transport
needs of the community will be well directed towards a cohesive transport
infrastructure development and improve mobility and improving the supply chain
economy.
We take note of two master plans, namely
the Kota Kinabalu Public Transport Master Plan and the Traffic Improvement and
Urban Transport Master Plan for Kota Kinabalu Central Business District (CBD),
which will complement the bigger picture of a grand masterplan. It is therefore
timely that we take such plans to a higher level covering a broader perspective
of the logistics and transport industry to work towards an efficient,
productive and sustainable economy for the whole state.
END.