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THE Transport Ministry (MOT) has dismissed claims that rail services in the Klang Valley have deteriorated, insisting that the frequency of technical faults and service disruptions has markedly improved compared with conditions two to three years ago.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Prasarana Malaysia Berhad had been instructed to furnish a detailed account of the current performance of the rail network.
"Prasarana will provide a full report to the media because in terms of the number of faults and disruptions, it has improved compared with previous years.
“We acknowledge that disruptions do occur, but to say the situation is worse than before is inaccurate based on figures and facts," he told reporters after officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for the Seremban Sentral Transit-Oriented Development on Saturday.
He was responding to a special report by Sinar Harian highlighting commuter frustrations over recurring interruptions on the LRT, MRT and monorail systems.
According to Loke, the government, through Prasarana, has spent hundreds of millions of ringgit on maintenance and the procurement of new trains.
"We have also ordered several new train sets for the Kelana Jaya Line as part of ongoing service upgrades. I hope these improvements can continue. But there are unforeseeable factors we must contend with, especially since our tracks are exposed to weather—heavy rain can cause trees or branches to fall onto the track, and this affects operations,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that Prasarana still needed to strengthen its communication with commuters, particularly during service disruptions.
"I understand that users feel dissatisfied when disruptions occur. One of Prasarana’s weaknesses is communication, which sometimes does not reach the public. Commuters lack information on the cause of disruptions, how long they will last and what alternative transport options are available. That must be improved," he said.
Loke also refuted suggestions that disruptions were caused by ageing trains.
"This is not about the age of the trains. As long as they are maintained according to schedule, trains can operate for up to 30 years. Some are retired earlier based on cost-benefit analysis. If replacement is more beneficial for operations, we replace them with new trains," he said.
He stressed that the government would never compromise on passenger safety, adding that concerns about old trains were unfounded as maintenance was carried out regularly. - December 6, 2025
