Indonesia's Whoosh High-Speed Rail Exceeds 10 Mln Passengers
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, June 26 (Bernama) -- Indonesia's Jakarta–Bandung high-speed train, locally known as Whoosh, has carried more than 10 million passengers since its commercial launch in October 2023, the train operator said on Thursday.
PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) said the milestone was reached between Oct 17, 2023 and June 25, 2025, with 10,014,707 passengers recorded across 29,786 journeys.
bootstrap slideshow
'This figure reflects strong public enthusiasm for Whoosh,' said KCIC general manager for corporate secretary, Eva Chairunisa, in a statement.
She said passenger uptake had been aided by transport integration efforts, including links to feeder trains, the Greater Jakarta LRT, bus services, and taxis.
Eva cited a finding from a study by the University of Indonesia's research centre that the train emits 6.9 grammes of CO₂ per passenger-kilometre, compared to 12.7 grammes from private vehicles.
The train has also helped reduce carbon emissions by up to 54 per cent, while potentially saving approximately 2.91 billion rupiah (about US$180,000) per year in traffic accident-related costs, she added.
The Whoosh high-speed rail project began in 2015, with construction starting in 2016. It entered service in 2023, making Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia to operate a high-speed rail network.
The project is part of a broader infrastructure push backed by Chinese investment under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
41 minutes ago
- The Star
Engineer loses RM275,000 to online 'Moomoo' investment scam
ALOR SETAR: A 57-year-old engineer lost RM275,000 after falling for an online investment scam known as 'Moomoo', which was advertised on Facebook in April. Kedah Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt Loi Yew Lik said the victim responded to an investment offer involving Chinese currency on April 20 by clicking a WhatsApp link, which led him to a group called '6 Investment Securuties Internasional'. He later communicated with several individuals using the numbers 019-2007253 and 019-2345678. "The scammers promised a 10% return within days, prompting the victim to transfer RM275,000 in eight transactions between May 27 and June 13 to two company accounts under the names Cisi Infra Solution and Cisi CPT Infra Trading," he said in a statement on Sunday (June 29). When no profits were received, the victim grew suspicious as the scammers continued requesting more money, claiming it was needed to release his returns and initial capital. He eventually lodged a police report at the Baling District Police Headquarters on Saturday after realising he had been cheated. Loi advised the public to verify any investment offers with the police or nearby stations and to use tools such as the Mule Check app, the CCID Facebook page, or contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997. - Bernama
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
UN bids to salvage global development summit after US boycott
SCORES of world leaders will be sweltering in the summer sun of southern Spain starting Monday at a once-a-decade United Nations development financing summit aimed at curbing global poverty, disease and the worst-case threats of climate change. Despite the scorching temperatures, though, a major chill looms over the event - the decision early this month by the United States, traditionally the world's largest aid giver and key finance provider, not to show up. UN countries want to close a US$4 trillion-a-year funding gap they now estimate prevents the developing world achieving the organisation's Sustainable Development Goals that range from cutting infant death rates to minimising global warming. UN Financing for Development summit starts from today. June 30 till July 3. Critics say the promises at the heart of the conference - called the "Seville Commitment" - are nowhere near bold enough. The measures, agreed by consensus after a year of tough negotiations, include tripling multilateral lending capacity, debt relief, a push to boost tax-to-GDP ratios to at least 15 per cent, and shifting special IMF money to countries that need it most. The run-up, however, has been marred by the US decision to withdraw over what it said was the crossing of a number of its red lines, including the push to triple development bank lending, change tax rules and the use of the term "gender" in summit wording. The European Union only joined the summit with reservations, particularly over how debt is discussed within the UN. Speaking to reporters this week, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed described Washington's boycott as "regrettable", especially after its "catastrophic" recent aid cuts that she said had cost lives and livelihoods. Speaking alongside officials from summit host Spain and Zambia, which has helped organise it, she said the final outcome document agreed reflected both "ambition and realism" and that the UN would try to re-engage the US afterwards. Remy Rioux, chief executive officer of the French Development Agency, said Washington's withdrawal had not been a total surprise given Donald Trump's views. The hope is that agreements next week will allow bolder action at the UN climate talks in Brazil in November. "We will push for the new framework... (and) its operationalisation from Seville to Belem," he added, referring to the Brazilian city that will host COP30. Other measures to be announced include multilateral lenders automatically giving vulnerable countries the option to insert repayment break clauses into their loans in case of hurricane, drought or flood. Another buzz phrase will be a "Global SDR playbook" - a plan where the wealthiest countries rechannel the IMF's reserve-like Special Draw Rights they hold to the multilateral banks, who then leverage them as capital in order to lend more. Campaigners warn that it will fall far short of what is needed, especially as more than 130 countries now face critically high debt levels and many spend more on repayments than on health or education. Aid and support from rich countries, who themselves have rising debts, is dropping too. In March, the US slashed more than 80 per cent of programmes at its USAID agency following federal budget cuts spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden have all made cuts in recent years too. The OECD projects a 9-17 per cent drop in net official development assistance (ODA) in 2025, following a 9 per cent decline in 2024. It looks set to hit the poorest countries hardest: bilateral ODA to least developed countries and sub-Saharan Africa may fall by 13-25 per cent and 16-28 per cent respectively, the OECD estimates, and health funding could drop by up to 60 per cent from its 2022 peak. So what would be a good outcome in Seville, especially given the US pull-out? "We should make sure we are not backtracking at this point," said Orville Grey at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, referring to funding commitments. "We should at least remain stable."
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Pineapple growers welcome KBBM campaign to stabilise prices, boost income
JOHOR BAHRU: Pineapple growers say the 2025 'Buy Malaysian Goods' campaign (KBBM), themed 'Jom Beli Lokal' (Let's Buy Local), could help stabilise market prices and ensure steady demand for local agricultural produce. Mohd Nasry Mohd Nasir, 38, a pineapple grower from Samarahan, Sarawak, said the initiative also promises stronger market assurance for farmers, provided consumers continue to support local products. He said the campaign would encourage greater demand for various local pineapple varieties. "This initiative is very good overall. It helps boost farmers' income while highlighting the quality of our pineapples, which are on par with those from overseas," he told Bernama when met at the 2025 International Pineapple Industry Seminar here yesterday. Nasry, who has managed his family's pineapple farm for the past three years on over 100 acres, added that the campaign could also reduce reliance on middlemen if implemented over the long term. "In Sarawak, for example, the Moris pineapple variety is relatively cheaper, with market prices at about RM10 for three fruits, but when sold to middlemen, the price drops to about RM2.50 each. "Some middlemen resell them at RM10 for just two fruits, so this campaign may help reduce our dependence on them and allow buyers to purchase directly from us at better prices," he said. Meanwhile, Johor-based pineapple grower Mohd Zulafiq Nordin, 38, believes the initiative could open broader market access for small and medium-scale farmers, including supermarkets and online sales platforms. He said it would also help increase sales of lower-grade pineapples that are still of good quality. "Middlemen usually only take Grade A pineapples for the market. The smaller grades that don't meet their criteria are usually sold directly by us. "So, with an initiative like this, we as farmers can offer more variety directly to consumers," he said. The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) launched KBBM on June 27 as part of efforts to revitalise the sales of local goods and reduce dependence on imported products. Its minister, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, was reported as saying the campaign focuses on increasing the sales value and market penetration of local products, strengthening domestic economic growth, and supporting local entrepreneurs and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). According to him, KBBM involves multiple ministries and government agencies through a whole-of-nation approach and will be conducted through both physical promotions at business premises and online platforms in collaboration with major e-commerce operators.
