Sashidaran Gunathevan
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ordered the Transport Ministry and Rapid KL to act on train overcrowding. He told Transport Minister Anthony Loke to address it urgently.
Anwar said the problem happens often and disrupts daily routines. His order followed a commuter’s post on Threads asking for more carriages.
Here is what he said, which incidents the reports cite and what remains unclear.
What Anwar ordered
Anwar directed Loke to urgently address overcrowding on train services, Malay Mail reported. He warned that it could disrupt commuters’ daily routines.
He said the problem happens often. It certainly disrupts the daily routines of the wider public, he added.
Anwar is also the finance minister. Peak-hour crowding hits workers and students hardest, so the order touches many daily trips.
“We must be more attentive and take action,” he said, speaking of the government.
He also told Rapid KL to look into the problem and ensure a swift solution. Rapid KL runs the LRT, MRT and bus services in the Klang Valley.
However, he gave no deadline and named no specific measures. The reports did not carry a response from Loke or Rapid KL.
Fixes such as extra trains or longer trains take time to arrange. Therefore, commuters may not see changes soon.
The complaint and the LRT network
A Threads user posted the night before, asking Anwar for more train carriages. She greeted him and tagged his account.
She said it is like this every day.
Driving means getting stuck in traffic, she wrote. Taking the train means it is packed.
She shared photos of crowded conditions, mainly in the capital. Berita Harian reported her post.
In short, she felt stuck between jammed roads and packed trains. Many commuters will know that feeling.
Anwar’s reply drew more than 25,000 likes, nearly 300 comments and about 1,500 reposts.
The response shows how many commuters share the concern. Meanwhile, the ministry and Rapid KL have yet to say how they will respond.
Rail work elsewhere in the network also affects commuters. For example, track replacement on the Kelana Jaya line began recently.
Meanwhile, the new LRT3 line offered free rides to draw commuters.
Recent LRT disruptions
The report points to two earlier incidents. First, on 8 October, overcrowding at Bukit Bintang Station on the Kajang MRT line lasted about three hours.
Also, many passengers were reportedly stranded at Bangsar LRT Station during that congestion.
Separately, on 12 October, cable theft disrupted the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit. Thieves took about 180 metres of signalling cable.
In addition, the cable was cut in two 90-metre sections. They lie between Putrajaya and Cyberjaya Station and Salak Tinggi Station.
The cut was near the 44 km marker.
However, the report does not link the train overcrowding to these incidents.
For now, commuters can travel outside peak hours where possible. They should also watch Rapid KL’s channels for updates on any new measures.
Fixes may also need new trains, more staff and time. Therefore, the next step rests with the Transport Ministry and Rapid KL. Their reply will show how soon relief may come.
Yalinie Mathan
Admin
C. Khor
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