Anthony Loke has broken the silence over the constant service disruptions that have been occurring on the LRT Kelana Jaya line over the past couple of weeks.
Anthony, the Minister of Transport, acknowledged that the recent disruptions have frustrated affected commuters, especially when most disruptions occurred during peak hours in Ramadan. In Parliament today (3 March), Anthony cited “ageing trains” for the constant service disruptions.
Transport Ministry has purchased new trains, but they will only arrive in 2 years
In response to a supplementary question from Dr Halimah Ali, Kapar Member of Parliament (MP), who asked about the frequent disruptions to the Kelana Jaya LRT route, Anthony said some of the existing trains are ageing and need to be replaced.
Anthony added that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has purchased new train sets, and commuters can expect to see them in 2028.
“We have taken action by purchasing new train sets, but they will only arrive in two years.”
Anthony, however, did not elaborate on the reason behind the timeline, but assured that MOT will always prioritise the train users’ comfort. Commenting further, Loke also denied that the government was cutting maintenance costs for train services in the country.
“Although we face various financial constraints, in terms of maintenance there is no compromise. There is no cutback on maintenance issues.”
“For future projects, of course we will look at the overall scope of the cost. Not only to finance the purchase of train sets but will also look at the aspect of long-term service agreements.”
What about LRT3?
After failing to meet LRT3’s opening date on 31 December last year, he said the LRT3 contractor faces RM475 million in damages over delays. LRT3, also known as LRT Shah Alam, which connects users from Johan Setia, Klang, all the way to Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya, was initially scheduled to open to the public in July 2025.
As of now, no specific opening date has been given, but Anthony said earlier that LRT3 is expected to be operational by June this year.
The project was in the final stage of “failure-free run” testing involving a third group of eight trains.
Also read: M’sians Frustrated as Peak-Hour Disruptions ‘Spread’ to MRT Putrajaya Line Amid LRT Chaos
