MCA Youth: Frequent LRT disruptions undermine public confidence, urges urgent service overhaul

 

THE Transport Ministry must take stronger action to address repeated LRT disruptions as public frustration is mounting and operational improvements are urgently needed, said MCA National Youth deputy chief Mike Chong Yew Chuan.

Chong said expressions of frustration from authorities were not sufficient, and that commuters expected tangible improvements in service reliability.

“Poor service reliability will eventually discourage the public from relying on public transport. More people may opt to drive or use e-hailing services instead, which will increase their costs through fuel and tolls while further worsening traffic congestion,” Chong stressed.

His statement comes amid continued disruptions on the Kelana Jaya LRT Line, which was affected again on Monday morning (May 18) after a train component failure left a train immobilised during peak hours.

The incident led to longer waiting times at several stations, particularly Ara Damansara and Kelana Jaya, as commuters experienced delays during the morning rush.

Commuters also reported a lack of station officers and auxiliary police personnel at some affected stations to manage crowd control and assist passengers, sparking frustration and complaints on social media.

According to Chong, Malaysians were already facing severe traffic congestion during peak hours, making reliable public transport essential to ease mobility and reduce dependency on private vehicles.

He also urged the Transport Ministry to work closely with Prasarana Malaysia Berhad to improve operational efficiency and ensure the system is no longer perceived as unreliable or burdensome.

“Furthermore, the affected commuters are not only Malaysians, but also expatriates and tourists. These repeated disruptions tarnish the image of Malaysia’s public transport system and reflect poorly on the country’s infrastructure standards,” he remarked.

“This is especially concerning in the Klang Valley and Kuala Lumpur areas, where many tourists visit. It is important for Malaysia to project itself as a developed nation with reliable and modern infrastructure.”

Within the first five months of this year, the LRT network has recorded 13 service disruptions across the Kelana Jaya, Ampang and Sri Petaling lines.

Among the notable incidents was a disruption on Feb 23, when multiple train units were taken out of service due to technical faults during the Monday morning peak period.

The incident caused cascading delays and commuter frustration, coming on the first working day after the extended Chinese New Year break.

Another series of disruptions occurred on Feb 26 and 27, when recurring technical glitches resulted in several trains being withdrawn from service. Affected stations included Putra Heights, Kerinchi, Taman Bahagia and Damai, with commuters reporting delays and overcrowding.

Following repeated disruptions, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said he was “personally angry” over the recurring incidents, which have occurred almost weekly. He had also previously attributed the disruptions on the Kelana Jaya Line to ageing train sets.

“Last October, the Budget 2026 allocated RM1 bil to the public transport sector, specifically for the procurement of 26 new train sets for the Kelana Jaya LRT Line,” Chong noted.

“The relevant authorities must take this matter seriously and implement effective long-term solutions to ensure smoother and more reliable operations using the allocated budget.” ‒  Focus Malaysia