\nMalaysia\u00a0has the second-highest car ownership rate in South-east Asia, with about 490 passenger cars per 1,000 people \u2013 after Brunei\u2019s, at roughly 805 cars.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: HAZLIN HASSAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Transportation experts say the worsening congestion is a symptom of the deep dependence on private vehicles in one of South-east Asia\u2019s fastest-growing urban regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s almost out of control \u2013 the use of cars,\u201d transport expert and vice-chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia, Professor Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, told The Straits Times. \u201cWhen we see two or three days of unusually bad traffic, it shows our roads are already at overcapacity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Malaysia\u00a0has the second-highest car ownership rate in South-east Asia, with about 490 passenger cars per 1,000 people \u2013 after Brunei, at roughly 805 cars. <\/p>\n
A record 820,752 new vehicle units were sold in Malaysia in 2025, up 0.5 per cent from the previous year. There are around\u00a038.7 million registered vehicles in the country \u2013 outnumbering the population of 34.3 million.<\/p>\n
The country\u2019s high rate of vehicle ownership is driven by the robust domestic auto industry, relatively affordable vehicle financing and fuel subsidies, observers say. Concurrently, public transport usage is low.<\/p>\n
Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi pointed out in a Facebook post in May 2025 that public transport usage is around 25 per cent in Malaysia. This is far lower than cities like Tokyo (73 per cent), Seoul (63 per cent) and Singapore (67 per cent). <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no real deterrence for using private vehicles… and no policy to discourage private vehicle ownership,\u201d said Prof Farhan.<\/p>\n
The rapid rise in private vehicle numbers comes even as the Klang Valley\u2019s rail network has expanded significantly by 139km over the past decade, with new MRT and LRT lines, said Mr M. Zulkarnain Hamzah, chairman and co-founder of watchdog group Transit Malaysia (the Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit Malaysia). <\/p>\n
But at the same time, more than 600km of new lanes have been added to tolled highways in the Klang Valley, reinforcing car-centric commuting patterns, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMalaysian cities are built around cars, thus people are dependent on cars to run even the shortest and nearest errands. And the urban rail network expansion in the Klang Valley is not supported by similar improvement in pedestrian and bus networks,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Public transport remains an uneven alternative for many Klang Valley commuters. Recent disruptions on the Kelana Jaya LRT line, one of the region\u2019s busiest, led Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Feb 24 to order a probe into recurring technical issues.<\/p>\n
Peak-hour breakdowns have caused overcrowding and delays, reinforcing perceptions of unreliable service.<\/p>\n
Public transport coverage remains patchy beyond core corridors, making car ownership a practical necessity for many households. It is commonplace for working adults in urban families to each have their own cars and motorcycles.<\/p>\n
Yet, efforts to rationalise bus services have drawn criticism. Rapid Bus recently restructured 29 routes \u2013 about 7 per cent of its network \u2013 citing low demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe restructuring was primarily driven by consistently low ridership on the affected routes (which) in some cases recorded an average of approximately seven passengers per hour,\u201d the bus operator said in response to queries from ST. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some RM1.9 billion (S$618 million) will be spent to purchase more than 1,500 buses to replace the existing ageing fleet operated by urban public transport operator Prasarana Malaysia in Klang Valley and Penang. Prasarana operates both major urban rail and bus services in the country, including much of the public transport in the Klang Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Prasarana\u2019s president and group chief executive officer Amir Hamdan\u00a0told ST in September that a fourfold increase in the maintenance budget and a 47 per cent rise in Prasarana Rail team manpower in 2025 compared with 2023 were crucial for improving rail service reliability. <\/p>\n
Experts say festive gridlock merely exposes deeper structural flaws.<\/p>\n
\u201cCongestion that worsens during festive periods is already a year-round concern,\u201d said Transit Malaysia\u2019s Mr Zulkarnain, pointing to gaps in first- and last-mile connectivity plus an incomplete and unreliable bus network.<\/p>\n
He also highlighted fragmented governance: Highways and main roads fall under the Works Ministry, public transport regulation and licensing under the Transport Ministry, and operators like Rapid KL under the Finance Ministry, while local councils control development approvals \u2013 resulting in weak planning and coordination. Chronic underfunding compounds the problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe push to increase public transport use is not followed up by any sustainable public transport funding strategy that can realistically make the shift happen,\u201d he said, noting that only a fraction of the budget and subsidies goes towards public transport. <\/p>\n\n\nThere are around\u00a038.7 million registered vehicles in Malaysia \u2013 outnumbering the population of 34.3 million.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: HAZLIN HASSAN<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Experts say easing congestion will require incentives to shift ongoing behaviour as well as measures to discourage driving.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need both push and pull factors,\u201d said Prof Farhan. He suggested tax incentives or subsidies for public transport users, alongside more reliable and frequent services. <\/p>\n
He added that congestion pricing in the busiest corridors should also be considered. \u201cIf public transport is more reliable and cheaper than driving, people will (make the) shift,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Zulkarnain argued for a reconfiguration of roads to prioritise buses, cyclists and pedestrians; better coordination across agencies; and a shift in subsidies away from fuel and towards public transport. Flexible work arrangements, including working from home, could also help reduce peak-hour pressure.<\/p>\n
Festive surges may fade and traffic conditions may ease for a time. But each holiday season serves as a reminder that the gridlock is real and the Klang Valley\u2019s transport system is running at its limits.<\/p>\n