Just a few days into his job, transport Minister Anthony Loke had gone to take the LRT during rush hour in order to experience what the rakyat felt on a daily basis.
Following his experience, Loke said that he now understands the frustrations of the people and said that he is going to discuss with Prasarana on the best ways to solve the issues.
Days since all that occurred, Loke has now revealed that passengers who utilise the LRT Kelana Jaya Line can expect service disruptions up to the third quarter of next year (Q3 2023).
Speaking at a press conference today (December 8), Loke explained that this is because at present, only 38 of the overall 56 train sets are operating, with the remaining 18 sets currently under maintenance.
This is what has forced the frequency of trains during the peak hours to be at 5 minutes compared to the targeted 3-minute interval per train.
Loke then said maintenance works on the trains will only be fully completed by Q3 2023, although some are expected to return to service earlier.
Meanwhile, the minister also noted that Prasarana Malaysia has also placed an order for 19 new units of 4-car train sets, with the first unit beginning operation in August next year.
“I apologise that for the next few months, there will still be disruptions to the service from time to time,” he said.
“Hopefully, the service will be more stable by the third quarter of 2023. I would like to give my commitment that I am giving serious attention to the Kelana Jaya line issue and I will monitor it personally.”
We do hope that the disruptions stop happening way earlier than Q3 of 2023. However, it is commendable that something is finally being done.
Also read: Transport Minister Anthony Loke Spotted on the LRT During Rush Hour Alone, Praised by M’sians
