PUTRAJAYA, April 14 — 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 Transport Ministry (MOT).
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the disruptions in recent weeks pose a significant challenge to the government's efforts to encourage the public to use public transportation and undermine 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 during a media conference in relation to the rail usage campaign to address the rising fuel costs today.
Loke added that the disruptions have mainly been due to unforeseen technical incidents, including failures of critical components such as signalling systems and switches, which could affect station operations and train journeys.
He cited the damage to the 'switch' system as an example, which can cause a station to malfunction, thereby disrupting train services.
In this regard, the MOT has directed Prasarana to enhance maintenance and system monitoring to ensure 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," Loke said.
Meanwhile, Prasarana will launch a campaign to promote the use of rail services to help people cope with the rising cost of living by continuing to implement the My50 Unlimited Travel Monthly Pass, which offers significant savings to public transport users in the Klang Valley.
The pass is offered at RM50, a 67 per cent discount on 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, Prasarana also offers other travel passes, such as Rapid Kota and Rapid Keluarga, specifically for Malaysians to expand access to and flexibility in using public transportation.
Loke said the Rapid Kota pass is available for 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 said.
