Transport Minister Anthony Loke demands Prasarana address persistent train failures, citing damage to public confidence and the push for greater transit use.
PUTRAJAYA: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd has been urged to give more serious attention to technical and maintenance issues to ensure train service disruptions are minimised, according to the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the disruptions that have happened in recent weeks pose a significant challenge to the government’s efforts to encourage the public to use public transportation, in addition to undermining consumer confidence.
“No one wants continuous (train) disruptions. There are indeed challenges, and I myself feel frustrated as almost every week there are disruptions,” he said at a press conference in relation to the rail usage campaign to address the rising fuel costs, here today.
According to Loke, the disruptions that have occurred are mainly due to unforeseen technical incidents, including failure of critical components such as signalling systems and switches that could affect station operations and train journeys.
He said, for example, damage to the ‘switch’ system can cause a station to malfunction, thereby disrupting train services.
In this regard, Loke said the MOT has directed Prasarana to enhance the level of maintenance and system monitoring to ensure that rail services are more secure and reliable for users.
“I have directed Prasarana to give serious and greater attention to technical issues to ensure this service can be more reliable,” he said.
Meanwhile, Loke said Prasarana will launch a campaign to promote the use of rail services in helping the people cope with the rising cost of living by continuing the implementation of the My50 Unlimited Travel Monthly Pass, which offers significant savings to public transport users in the Klang Valley.
He said the pass is offered at a price of RM50, which is a 67 per cent discount from the actual value of RM150 for unlimited use over 30 days, covering Prasarana’s rail and bus services.
“Now, 40 per cent of users have utilised this My50 pass, and the government hopes that more Malaysians in the Klang Valley will take advantage of this pass.”
“This initiative greatly benefits daily and periodic users by ensuring continuous access to workplaces without additional financial burden, while also helping users plan their monthly expenses more systematically following the rise in fuel costs,” he said.
Apart from the My50, Loke said Prasarana also offers other travel passes like Rapid Kota and Rapid Keluarga specifically for Malaysians to expand access and flexibility in using public transportation.
He also said the Rapid Kota pass is offered at a price of RM10 for a one-day pass and RM25 for a three-day pass with unlimited travel benefits, suitable for occasional users.
Meanwhile, the RM30 Rapid Keluarga pass offers unlimited group travel for one day for up to four people, specifically for Malaysians on weekends and public holidays.
“This pass is expected to support family institutions by providing more economical public transportation options, while also giving Malaysians the advantage of undertaking family trips and activities at a more affordable cost in the Klang Valley,” he added.
