PETALING JAYA: The government's approach of appointing experts and professionals, rather than political leaders, to head public transport agencies and companies should continue, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said that experienced and qualified individuals leading public transport agencies were crucial to ensuring more professional and transparent management, rather than being determined by political interests.
"My stance is that there should be no political appointments in public transport operators. It must be led by professionals.
"We have seen the results; when we appoint professionals and experienced figures to lead organisations, significant changes have occurred," he said at the Malaysia Madani Intellectual Forum Series 6, held at Menara Prasarana here on Wednesday (June 4).
He added that Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) served as proof of professional-led management, as the company had shown better performance and service improvements.
The forum tonight discussed the topic "Transport for the People: Balancing Affordability, Quality, and Sustainability of Public Transport", and was chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Besides Loke, other panellists were Prasarana Malaysia Berhad Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah; and Universiti Putra Malaysia Vice-Chancellor, Datuk Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah.
Loke said the improved performance of the national public transport system was the result of continuous efforts to upgrade trains and facilities across all lines, further driven by a professional and experienced management team.
Citing Singapore's transport system, he said that although the country was often regarded as having the best public transport, it also faced various technical issues.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azharuddin said that Prasarana was now moving forward positively in terms of passenger numbers, operational reliability, and station facility performance.
"If you look at the results, our passenger numbers were very low during the pandemic. However, in the last two to three years, various efforts have been made to restore the situation.
"In 2022, our daily passenger numbers were around 681,000. Now, in 2025, that figure has increased to approximately 1.31 million people per day," he said. – Bernama
