Transport Minister Anthony Loke has acknowledged that setting a firm timeline for disruption-free rail services under Prasarana Malaysia Berhad remains difficult due to the unpredictable nature of technical issues. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Loke said that while the government aims to minimise disruptions across the Klang Valley rail network, it cannot guarantee a “no-failure” target.
Recent disruptions have continued to draw public attention, with incidents reported on the Ampang/Sri Petaling LRT line last week and earlier on the MRT Putrajaya line. Loke also previously disclosed that there were 31 rail service disruptions recorded across the Klang Valley in 2025 alone, highlighting the scale of the issue.
He noted that some incidents occur unexpectedly, making it challenging to commit to a specific timeframe for complete service stability. Despite this, Loke stressed that the government is closely monitoring the situation. He also revealed that Prasarana is now required to attend post-cabinet meetings to provide progress updates.
The minister added that he has instructed the operator to further strengthen its control measures and maintenance practices. These improvements, he said, are necessary to ensure safer and more reliable daily commutes for passengers.
Earlier this week, Loke also acknowledged growing public frustration over repeated breakdowns, admitting that the frequency of disruptions has become a concern as the government pushes for higher public transport adoption. He said the issue has been escalated to Prasarana, urging the company to give serious and greater attention to technical issues.
Loke explained that while maintenance teams closely monitor systems such as signalling and trains, unexpected failures such as including faults with track switches can still occur and disrupt operations. He added that agencies like the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) have been tasked to investigate recurring issues, particularly involving the Kelana Jaya LRT line.
In a related development, the government is also exploring additional safety measures at LRT stations following a recent track incident, including the potential installation of platform screen doors and other alert systems such as sensors and alarms. However, Loke noted that such upgrades would require significant modifications to older stations and come with high costs, meaning any rollout would need careful planning despite ongoing discussions with Prasarana.
(Source: NST)
