Prasarana Champions Sustainable City Living Through TOD
KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- As urban mobility becomes increasingly unsustainable amid growing populations and emissions, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is rising to the challenge by focusing on transit-oriented development (TOD) — a model that clusters residential, commercial, and civic spaces within walking distance of public transport hubs.
Prasarana, the country’s largest public transport operator, said TOD promotes high-density, walkable neighbourhoods with reduced car dependency, a vision it is driving through its subsidiary Prasarana Integrated Development Sdn Bhd (PRIDE), which focuses on delivering TOD projects.
“These are live developments reshaping the Klang Valley. Among them is Perla Ara Damansara, a mixed-use development adjacent to the light rail transit (LRT) station, blending affordable and mid-range residential units with retail, office suites, and a hotel.
“Another flagship is The Riveria City in Brickfields, near the Kuala Lumpur city centre, a mixed-use development built within the Monorail Depot and fully integrated with pedestrian flows and surrounding businesses,” it said in a statement.
Prasarana said each TOD site is shaped by principles of inclusivity, mobility, and environmental resilience, including walkability and access to essential services, with the aim of transforming transit stations into vibrant anchors of urban life that support homes, jobs, and retail activity within a unified ecosystem.
Through TOD, the company is also unlocking new value by leveraging station land, air rights, and commercial assets.
“Over the next five years, PRIDE aims to grow its commercial revenue through leasing, advertising, and joint development, diversifying income streams while contributing to broader goals of urban regeneration.
“Malaysia is not starting from scratch. It draws on global best practices, especially from Japan, where railway operators like JR East and JR West have long integrated transport with property, commerce, and services,” it added.
According to Prasarana, Malaysia is adapting this approach to its own urban context, aligning TOD with national priorities such as the National Transport Policy, the 12th Malaysia Plan, and broader sustainability frameworks.
Meanwhile, environmental sustainability is central to Prasarana’s roadmap, as outlined in its Sustainability Blueprint 2023–2030.
The blueprint targets a 45 per cent reduction in operational emissions, the deployment of 1,450 electric buses, and increased use of solar power and green building infrastructure to support Malaysia’s climate goals and attract more commuters to public transport.
Prasarana said this vision will be spotlighted on the global stage at Expo 2025 Osaka, where Malaysia’s participation under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” and the Malaysia Pavilion’s narrative “Weaving a Future in Harmony” closely aligns with the expo’s focus on creating people-first, sustainable, and forward-looking societies.
These projects form part of a broader national narrative, where cities are not merely expanding outward but maturing inward, anchored by smart infrastructure and community-centred development.
TOD remains one of the clearest tools to support that goal, and Prasarana is showing how it can work at scale in a fast-urbanising Southeast Asia.
“As more cities across the region pursue net-zero goals, integrated planning, and smarter mobility, Malaysia’s TOD journey provides both a tangible framework and an open invitation to collaborate, learn, and design the next generation of liveable cities together,” Prasarana said.
-- BERNAMA