Liew talking to one of the bus drivers about the bus frequency.

BY BRENDA CH’NG

WHILE public transport is now more accessible to Taman Megah residents in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur with the completion of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang line, there is still room for improvement.

For one, the feeder bus service connecting residents from their neighbourhoods to the Sri Raya MRT train station should be looked into in terms of punctuality and connectivity.

Currently, the feeder buses which ply Taman Megah are often late resulting in passengers waiting for 30 minutes or more at times.

“Residents have complained to me about how they have to wait long for buses when the frequency is supposed to be every 15 minutes,” said Serdang MCA vice-chairman Allan Liew during a visit to the Taman Megah bus station.

He complimented the efficient MRT train services that provided congestion-free rides for residents in his area and he has noticed less congestion along the Grand Saga Highway during peak hours recently.

“But I hope the feeder bus service will improve, if not passengers will slowly stop using the feeder bus and they will end up driving again rather than using the public transport,” he said.

Liew said there used to be a public bus operating in the neighbourhood that took passengers directly to Kuala Lumpur but the service was discontinued over a year ago to make way for the MRT feeder bus service.

He also called for the feeder bus route to be extended to Taman Murni and Seri Cheras which had six blocks of low-cost flats.

The existing route that covered eight neighbourhoods with 24 stops only passed through the main roads and residents still had to walk 10 minutes or more to get to the nearest bus stop.

The route passes through Kota Cheras, Damai Jaya, Puteri Jaya, Tun Perak, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, Taman Desa Wangsa, Taman Megah and Taman Murni.

Liew said when he visited the bus stop along Jalan Megah 37, he realised that it lacked information on the bus schedule and routes.

Passengers, who are charged RM3 upon boarding the feeder bus, are reminded to tap their Touch ‘n’ Go cards when alighting to get a RM2 refund, he added.

The feeder bus fare is only a flat rate of RM1 and the extra RM2 charged to the card upon tapping in is held as deposit, added Liew.