AS voters and rakyat, we must ask a critical question of our Ministry of Transport: Three years into Anthony Loke’s tenure as Minister, where are the structural reforms we were promised?
When we look at his Cabinet colleague and associate, Hannah Yeoh, we see a leader actively implementing visible, tangible changes to the policy landscape and day‑to‑day governance of Kuala Lumpur.
Yet when it comes to our national rail services—specifically Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB)—the public transport system remains bogged down by the same subpar service delivery and stagnant work culture that has plagued it for the past two decades.
Digital ticketing failures
A recent personal experience highlights how deeply entrenched these systemic failures are, particularly within KTMB’s digital ticketing system (KITS) and its customer service management.
For a senior citizen trying to purchase an ETS ticket to Penang, the booking process is a masterclass in poor user‑interface design. While senior citizens are legally entitled to a 50% discount, the system conceals this benefit behind an ambiguous, poorly positioned checkbox that reads “I am travelling myself.”
There is absolutely no clear communication explaining that ticking this box is the prerequisite for calculating the senior discount. If a senior logs into their own verified, age‑validated account to purchase a ticket under their own name and IC number, the system should apply the discount automatically. Forcing users to navigate confusing semantics—and penalizing them when they miss a hidden step—is a failure of basic digital governance.
Customer service attitude
Worse still is the defensive, unhelpful attitude of KTMB’s customer service personnel when these flaws are pointed out. When contacting the helpline, staff deflected accountability, blaming the user for not clicking the box, and even asked for “screenshot proof” that the interface was confusing.
When pressed on why a senior citizen account needs a secondary verification box, staff offered the baffling explanation that “Adult” is a rigid category exclusively between ages 18 and 60—failing to understand that a senior citizen remains an adult.
This lack of empathy and intellectual flexibility demonstrates KTMB’s “business‑as‑usual” mindset, entirely devoid of a consumer‑first culture.
Broken communication channels
The breakdown in basic communication extends to KTMB’s official online presence. The primary customer service phone number displayed on their website, 03‑2267 1200, is completely out of service.
Although being a more resourceful senior citizen, I eventually unearthed their newer contact number, 03‑9779 1200, via independent searches. But how many seniors would be able to do that? Instead of acknowledging the outdated listing, customer service agents flatly refused to admit the oversight, showing zero urgency to pass the feedback to their IT department.
Besides, it should not take eight consecutive calls just to reach an agent—only to be met with bureaucratic denial.
Operational inefficiencies
Beyond digital hitches, commuters face persistent operational inefficiencies. KTMB continues to schedule disruptive track maintenance during daylight hours and peak commuting windows, resulting in severe service gaps—such as the absence of Komuter trains from Subang Jaya heading towards residential hubs at 5:40 PM.
While double‑tracking projects are sensibly carried out overnight to minimize disruption, KTMB appears disconnected from the reality of daily commuters, causing passengers to abandon rail in favour of driving or express buses.
Minister must act
If the Minister of Transport continues to allow KTMB to operate with this outdated work culture, the government will be forced to continuously pour funds into KTMB just to keep it afloat. KTMB cannot even protect and serve its existing customer base, let alone turn a profit.
I speak as someone who has promoted public transport since 2005, including establishing last‑mile shuttle services for college students in Cheras so that I could take public transport myself and encourage others to do the same.
A call for overhaul
As taxpayers and citizens, we demand that Minister Anthony Loke step up, look directly into these operational inefficiencies, and execute a comprehensive overhaul of KTMB—from top‑tier management down to the frontline care lines.
Malaysia needs a modern, seamless, and accountable public transport system—not the stagnation of the last twenty years. - May 21, 2026
***Stephen Ng, a concerned citizen and voter from Selangor, Malaysia
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