LRT-Failure

In relation to the recent incident whereby two Kelana Jaya LRT trains suffered operational setbacks due to brake-related issues, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), has urged the parties responsible for investigating the case to make their findings public.

This is to ensure that "public confidence in rail transport will not be affected." In a report by The Star, it was noted that while Lee applauded the decision made by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to establish a committee to study the incident, he maintained that conclusions drawn up from the report "should be revealed in accordance with the principle of accountability and transparency."

"SPAD and Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, as well as the train manufacturer, must give serious attention to these incidents as it is a matter of public interest," he added. On July 22, a Gombak-bound LRT train seized operations at Setiawangsa station due to faulty brakes while a second incident later that day saw another Gombak-bound train halted at Universiti station.

The second hiccup proved to be a more major one as the train caught fire, causing further delays. A total of 53 passengers had already been evacuated to a rescue train prior to the fire. Although both incidents could be isolated cases, the fact that it had occurred had "caused much concern among commuters."