APRIL 15 — I refrained from writing to you a few times but I have lost my patience after repeated disappointing incidents. Easter should have been a happy occasion but mine started and ended badly. The cause of my unhappiness was KTM Komuter/KTMB. I was commuting to work using the train as usual and a routine 45 minutes journey ended up taking 65 minutes as the train was held up for almost 20 minutes between the Mid Valley station and KL Sentral. I was late to work eventually. After work I went to meet a friend in Subang Jaya. When I thought things couldn’t get worse, a routine return journey of 20 minutes ended up taking almost two hours with numerous long stops along the way. I boarded the train at 9.50pm and reached KL Sentral at 11.40pm. Both incidents were caused by the so-called upgrading work for their signalling system that KTMB announced repeatedly, claiming it would cause delay only between five and 10 minutes. Somebody needs to be sent back to school to learn time calculation.
Then on April 9, I went to KL Sentral as usual to catch the last train to go home. The staff let me through after checking my monthly pass and didn’t say a word. I felt strange as the platforms were deserted and a train driver from the other side asked me where I was going and told me to go to Platform 1 & 2 as all the usual platforms were closed. I ran as fast as I could as I was worried I would miss the train. Once I reached the platform, there were so many people waiting in the hot atmosphere. A few trains came and in the meanwhile, there were announcements that they were experiencing technical problems. The last announcement requested us to go back to the normal platforms as they have resolved the issue and the train finally arrived past midnight.
Again on April 13, the train was delayed and delayed around 40 minutes as there were problems with the tracks and only one track was being used between 2 stations. Even yesterday night the train was delayed for 30 minutes.
I understand that upgrading works are needed for future convenience but why do it during operational hours? It’s causing so much inconvenience to us. At least I have a transport from the station as I park and ride but imagine the fate of those who use connecting public transport like LRT and buses. On Easter, the LRT station was closed when we arrived at KL Sentral and a few of the passengers were complaining. I don’t think buses operate past midnight. There were elderly people, women, children and some carrying luggage travelling in all the situations above. Isn’t it dangerous and how will they be able to get help if they were stranded? Will they pay for the double taxi fares past midnight?
KTMB needs to be more proactive to ensure smooth services as we are paying for it. There is no point in increasing the fare if the service level remains the same and unreliable. They were proud of their punctuality at over 90 per cent but there’s plenty of room for improvements. Recorded announcements of the upgrading works and apologies are just not enough.
P.S. — When are they going to start using the new ticketing system? The new machines have been sleeping idly at all the stations for almost two years now. The old machines can’t accept new notes or coins and it’s very difficult to buy tickets especially during rush hours, late at night or early morning when the counter is closed. I hope it’s not another white elephant project.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
