Smouldering train derails Shafie's trip to Tenom

It was supposed to be a straightforward trip from Beaufort to Tenom in Sabah for Parti Warisan Sabah president Mohd Shafie Apdal and his entourage today.

But two hours into the trip via a Sabah State Railway train, air-conditioning in the first passenger car broke down. 

After the air-conditioning system was repaired, the train resumed its journey and Shafie and his entourage of around 50 Warisan supporters then changed trains as they continued their journey to Tenom.

Not long after getting on board the second train, weary passengers including the writer were jolted awake by sudden shouts of "Get down now!"

Smoke billowed from under the carriage as Shafie and the passengers scrambled to get off the train with some climbing through windows to escape, while others shouted that there was a fire.

A Sabah State Railway employee who declined to be named told Malaysiakini that such incidents were unusual and that the suspected fire had probably occurred due to an overload of passengers.

Soon after escaping the smouldering train, the passengers were ushered onto the third and last carriage, which was then split from the rest of the train.

Shafie was heard telling Warisan supporters to give priority to schoolchildren who filled the third carriage.

The carriage was filled to the brim, with many including the former minister forced to stand for the remaining 20-minute journey to Tenom.

Other passengers, on the other hand, had to resort to waiting for the train to return which meant an almost one-hour wait.

Despite an overload being the suspected cause of the earlier smoke out, the packed third carriage was given the green light to continue its journey to Tenom. 

There, Shafie and his entourage were welcomed by Warisan supporters, before making their way to the scheduled programme.

Addressing the matter in his speech, Shafie lamented the dire conditions of Sabah's transport system despite 54 years of independence.

"The trains in Kuala Lumpur are not only fast they are multi-tiered.

"Is this what we want as a sovereign state; trains from the 1950s?

"InsyaAllah if we govern Sabah tomorrow we will change Sabah's transport system," vowed Shafie.

Among others, Shafie said Warisan will ensure that the railway system would be consistent.

Citing his observation made during the trip, Shafie noted how a villager would only have two hours to sell his or her fish before rushing to take the train back home or risk having to walk.

This is where Shafie took the opportunity to hit out at the federal government, citing the East Coast Railway Link (ECRL) project.

"They are willing to borrow billions from China for (a railway system) from Kuala Lumpur to Tumpat. Why can't we ask for high-speed trains?

"InsyaAllah if we come into power, we will change the railway system from Kota Kinabalu to Tenom in terms of its frequency and timetable.

"We don't want a buffalo to be faster than the train," he said to laughter from some 500 Warisan supporters present at the event.

Opened in the late 19th century, the Sabah State Railway was closed in 2007 for repair works.

Accidents involving it are not uncommon, with a recent incident in February this year which saw three killed after a train car crashed into a van.- Mkini