Latest news with #ESGHub
The Star
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Prasarana aims for 40% public transport usage by 2030
PETALING JAYA, 16 Mei -- Presiden merangkap Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan Prasarana, Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah (kiri), dan Pengarah Eksekutif UNGCMYB, Faroze Nadar (kanan), menandatangani memorandum persefahaman (MoU) bagi memperkukuh komitmen terhadap kelestarian vendor ESG Hub melibatkan 5,000 PKS, hari ini di Menara Prasarana. -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA PETALING JAYA: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd will roll out more electric buses and upgrade its rail infrastructure to help Malaysia meet its national target of having 40% of journeys made using public transport by 2030, says its president and group chief executive Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah. He was responding to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's comment on Tuesday that the public transport usage rate of 25% in the country is low compared to other developed countries. 'We have taken note of the DPM's statement. In fact, we have presented to him the full infrastructure agenda to upgrade public transportation the next day, after he made the remarks,' he said at a press conference following the launch of Vendor ESG Hub at Prasarana's headquarters here yesterday. In terms of rail expansion, Azharuddin said the Shah Alam line (formerly known as LRT3) is expected to be completed this year. 'The Shah Alam LRT line will incorporate significant eco-friendly features when it opens in September. 'These include smart LED lighting that adjusts to natural light, a smart air-conditioning system which is expected to reduce energy consumption by 32% and installation of solar photovoltaic infrastructure at the train stabling yards,' he said, adding that the number of buses will also be increased. Azharuddin said Ahmad Zahid, who also chairs the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion, also made the decision to create more dedicated bus lanes. 'We are also working closely with the Housing and Local Government Ministry to upgrade bus stops and pedestrian facilities so that the public can conveniently access train and bus stops,' he said. Azharuddin also said Prasarana is targeting to increase ridership on its own network (covering Rapid KL, Rapid Penang and Rapid Kuantan, among others) to 1.5 million each day by next year when compared to the current ridership of 1.3 million. On May 13, Ahmad Zahid in a Facebook post said Singapore recorded a public transport usage rate of 67%, with the corresponding figures for Seoul and Tokyo at 63% and 73%, respectively. The event at the Prasarana headquarters revolved around the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Prasarana and UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB). The MOU pertains to the launch of Vendor ESG Hub – a dedicated platform to introduce sustainable business practices to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The new online platform will build capacity for Prasarana's 5,000 SME vendors by providing access to training, tools and resources focused on best practices of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. ESG is a framework for evaluating a company's performance beyond financial metrics by also looking at impact on the environment, relationships with stakeholders and governance structures. UNGCMYB executive director Faroze Nadar said for a business to play a truly transformative role in creating social and environmental impact, it 'must have head, hands and most importantly, heart'. 'Often the focus tends to be on the head, the strategy, and the hand is the implementation,' he said.
The Star
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
More electric buses among Prasarana's plan to improve public transport services
PETALING JAYA: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd will increase its use of electric buses as part of efforts to improve public transportation services, says its president and group chief executive Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah. He was responding to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who said that public transport use in the country remained low at 25% when compared to other developed countries. "We have presented Prasarana's full infrastructure agenda to upgrade public transportation the day after he (Ahmad Zahid) made the remarks. "While the national target of public transportation modal share is to achieve 40% by 2030… the planning is very clear," he said at a press conference after the launch of the Vendor ESG Hub at Menara Prasarana here on Friday (May 16). In terms of rail expansion, Azharuddin elaborated that Shah Alam LRT line is expected to be completed soon. "The Shah Alam LRT line extension will incorporate significant eco-friendly features when it opens in September. "These include smart LED lighting that adjusts to natural light, a smart air-conditioning system which is expected to reduce energy consumption by 32% and stabling yards for installation of solar panels. Additionally, Azharuddin said the number of buses would be increased, with a focus on electric buses. "We also have the Rapid KL BRT on-demand service, which is increasing in popularity among Klang Valley residents," he added. Azharuddin also said Ahmad Zahid, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion, has also decided to have more dedicated bus lanes. "These lanes are crucial for ensuring buses can move more smoothly and frequently, enabling faster trips. "We are also working closely with the Housing and Local Government Ministry to upgrade bus stations and pedestrian facilities for better access. "This is part of a systematic solution that we believe will increase the modal share of public land transport," he said. Azharuddin also said Prasarana is targeting a ridership of 1.5 million in 2026, compared to 1.3 million currently. In a Facebook post on May 13, Ahmad Zahid said Japan had a public transport usage rate 73%, Singapore at 67%, and 63% for South Korea. Earlier at the event, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Prasarana and UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei to launch a Vendor ESG Hub dedicated platform to introduce sustainable business practices for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The new online platform will build capacity for Prasarana's 5,000 SME vendors through access to training, tools, and resources focused on environmentalism, sustainability and governance (ESG) principles. "Participating vendors will also be guided to eventually develop their own sustainability reports, aligned with international ESG standards. "Our impact as a public transport operator goes beyond moving people. We are helping to build a stronger business ecosystem – one that supports SMEs and delivers better services to the public," he said.
