IPOH: Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has denied that the Platform Instrusion Emergency Stop (PIES) system at the Titiwangsa Light Rail Transit (LRT) station failed to function when a person with disability (PWD) was run over and killed two days ago.
Loke said the system was functioning as usual but since the train had reached its destination, the unfortunate incident could not be avoided.
“I don’t think it (the system) failed, sometimes if an object falls the system will shut down, but it just so happens that the train had arrived (at the time of the incident), so it did not have time to shut down immediately, so this is not because the system (PIES) failed,“ he said during a press conference after the Ipoh BAS.MY Launch here today.
Last Saturday, a visually impaired man was run over and killed by a train after falling on the Titiwangsa LRT track.
The PIES system stops a train approaching the platform immediately when it detects an “object” falling onto the track.
Loke said the details of the incident were still under investigation.
Meanwhile, he said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) is working to improve the safety infrastructure at all LRT stations, especially those that have been operating for a long time, including the Titiwangsa station.
He said this included installing passenger doors that block the gap between the station and the train.
“Titiwangsa station, for example, does not have a passenger door, it has been operating for more than 20 years, and we hope that we can improve the facilities at those stations for passenger safety, but it will certainly take time because we are doing it in phases,“ he said.
However, he said that as an immediate step, MOT had asked security personnel at the stations involved to be more vigilant to ensure the safety of all passengers, especially the disabled, is guaranteed.
Meanwhile, Loke said for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, additional tickets for Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) trips including the electric train service (ETS) would be added.
“Bus companies are encouraged to start applying for additional or temporary permits, we will give approval for additional trips, KTM will also increase their trips,“ he said.
