KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) incurs losses of nearly RM100,000 a year due to repeated collisions between trains and livestock straying onto railway tracks, according to a report by Utusan Malaysia.

KTMB acting general manager for operations control, Sadun Abdullah, said the incidents occur along the railway line stretching from Gemas in Negeri Sembilan to Tumpat in Kelantan.

He said such collisions happen almost weekly, disrupting operations and train schedules.

“Each time a collision occurs, KTMB not only suffers damage to its assets and incurs repair costs, but also bears losses from delays to passenger and cargo train services,” he was quoted as saying.

“The situation also affects livestock owners when their animals are killed after being hit by trains, resulting in losses on both sides that could have been avoided.”

He was speaking to reporters during the KTMB Santuni Pelajar Sekolah Wilayah Pantai Timur programme, held in conjunction with the first day of the 2026 school term here.

Sadun said KTMB has taken various measures to address the issue, including providing continuous advisory services, organising safety campaigns, and holding meetings with livestock owners and village heads in affected areas.

He added that safety leaflets have also been distributed to surau and mosques for announcements, urging livestock owners to be more responsible and to ensure their animals do not encroach onto railway tracks.

“Cooperation from all parties is crucial to prevent continued losses and to ensure the safety of railway operations and users,” he said.