GEORGE TOWN – Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) has issued an apology after scores of passengers on its Electric Train Service (ETS) were forced to find alternative transportation home, following a technical glitch at Bukit Mertajam.
KTM board chairman Datuk Seri Musa Sheikh Fadzir made an apology for the incident, which occurred around 8.15pm on Sunday, while the train was en route to Butterworth from KL Sentral.
Musa said that he will order an investigation into the incident, adding that KTM took note of passengers having to book e-hailing services to reach their destination.
“This is the first time I am told of such an incident, and I am disappointed. We need to improve the standard of our service. And I hope there is no recurrence of it in the future,” he told The Vibes.
The train, numbered EP9178, departed Kuala Lumpur at 3.55pm and was slated to reach its destination by 8.07pm.
The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth on the ETS takes four hours on average.
Musa said although train services may periodically suffer technical glitches, it is “unkind” to leave passengers stranded without alternatives.
He also said train repairs should be expedited in the future.
An affected passenger had earlier alerted The Vibes about the incident, saying those onboard did not have options apart from waiting in the carriages or making their own arrangements.
“The train was also full, so it was an unpleasant surprise. KTM needs to improve its service.”
The KTM ETS service has gained a sizable ridership since its inception in 2010.
Fares are usually priced higher than RM100, making them comparable to budget airfares.
However, unlike flights, the ETS service offers direct access to strategic points in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. – The Vibes, June 15, 2022
