LRT3 more than just moving people

From Tan Peck Leong

Today, I took the LRT3 train from Klang to Bandar Utama. The train was crowded, but in that crowd, I saw something meaningful.

I saw families travelling with greater ease. I saw elderly passengers enjoying greater independence. I saw ordinary Malaysians participating in the economy – not through speeches or policy papers, but through something as simple and powerful as being able to move.

That short journey reminded me that LRT3 is not just about trains, tracks and stations. It is about people. It is about mobility, access, dignity and opportunity.

For that reason, the opening of LRT3 deserves sincere appreciation. The government, the transport ministry, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd and everyone involved have delivered more than an infrastructure project.

They have opened a new development corridor for Klang and the wider western Klang Valley.

The RM21.93 billion invested in LRT3 should be viewed as more than the cost of construction. It is an investment in human capital and economic participation. It benefits workers who need reliable transport, students seeking access to education, families looking for affordable mobility, elderly residents wanting greater independence, and small businesses that depend on customers.

The 37.8km line stretches from Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya to Johan Setia in Klang, with 20 stations currently in operation. It is expected to serve around 67,000 passengers daily during its initial phase.

These figures matter, but the true value of LRT3 lies in the lives it improves, the journeys it makes possible, and the opportunities it brings within reach.

For Klang, this is especially significant.

Klang has always been an important economic centre – a royal town, a port town, a food town, a logistics hub, and a working-class town. Through Port Klang, which handled 14.64 million TEUs in 2024 and is ranked among the world’s 10 busiest container ports, the town has long been connected to regional and global trade.

Yet its identity has traditionally been defined by ports, factories, warehouses, highways and industrial activity. LRT3 adds a new dimension to Klang’s development: human mobility.

Klang is no longer only a place where goods move. It is now a place where people can move more easily, comfortably and affordably.

Workers can commute more efficiently. Students can reach schools and universities with greater ease. Families can visit one another, shoppers can explore new destinations, and visitors can come to Klang without worrying so much about traffic, parking or long drives.

In many ways, Klang feels different.

For years, it was often seen as traditional, congested and somewhat disconnected from the rest of the Klang Valley. Today, it feels more connected, more accessible and more vibrant. Like many suburbs linked to major cities, Klang is becoming part of an integrated metropolitan transport network where distance is less of a barrier.

The transformation is not only physical but also psychological. A place that once felt distant now feels closer. A journey that once seemed inconvenient now feels practical. Public transport changes how people perceive a place. It makes towns feel more connected, more modern and full of possibilities.

This is the real power of transportation.

LRT3 gives people greater freedom to work, study, shop, visit family and enjoy leisure activities. Elderly residents no longer need to depend so heavily on their children for transport, while those who do not drive-or cannot afford frequent e-hailing rides-have a more affordable and dignified way to travel.

From a human capital perspective, this matters enormously.

Human capital is not only about education and skills. It is also about whether people can access opportunities. A skilled worker cannot contribute fully if transport limits mobility. A student cannot benefit fully from education if reaching campus is difficult. An elderly person cannot remain socially active if every outing depends on someone else.

Public transport expands people’s ability to participate in economic and social life. In this sense, LRT3 is an investment in human freedom. It widens choices, reduces dependence and connects people to jobs, education, healthcare, places of worship, leisure and community life.

The economic benefits could also be substantial.

In the past, many of Klang’s attractions depended largely on visitors willing to drive into town. LRT3 makes them easier to reach, creating new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses.

Transportation brings people to places. People bring spending. Spending supports businesses, businesses create jobs, and jobs support families. This is how public transport becomes an engine of economic development.

LRT3 also connects two distinct economic centres. On one end are Bandar Utama and Petaling Jaya, representing retail, offices, services and urban living. On the other is Klang, representing port operations, logistics, manufacturing, heritage, food and local enterprise. By linking these areas, LRT3 strengthens the western Klang Valley economic corridor.

That is why the RM21.93 billion investment should be viewed as a long-term economic enabler rather than merely a construction cost. It brings customers to businesses, workers to jobs, students to education and families closer to opportunities. Most importantly, it brings development closer to ordinary people.

Development is no longer something we merely read about in government plans or economic reports. We can feel it. We can ride it. We can experience it.

Projects like this require vision, patience, public investment and long-term commitment. Their benefits are not realised overnight, but over time they strengthen communities, improve mobility, support businesses and expand access to opportunity.

The true value of public transport is not simply that it moves passengers from one station to another. It moves communities forward. It connects people to opportunity, gives dignity to mobility, and makes development visible, reachable and shared.

For Klang, LRT3 is more than a train line. It is a new chapter in human capital development, economic growth, and public connectivity.

Tan Peck Leong is a professor at the Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM)

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.