KUALA LUMPUR – Designating ladies-only coaches in city trains is impractical due to likely congestion during peak hours, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
The Seremban MP reasoned that the notion of providing a coach only for women, or any other community, would not be optimal, as the train services are frequent during peak hours.
He said this was because the LRT, monorail, and MRT have only two to four coaches, as opposed to KTM commuters, which have six for every train.
“It is impractical if one coach is designated for any specific group, given the high service frequency of every five minutes during peak hours. It may cause congestion in the special coaches.
“This is different from intercity trains, such as the KTM commuter with six coaches, which allows Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) to designate coaches specifically for women,” he said in a parliamentary written reply.
Loke remarked the designated coaches are not implemented yet to optimise space usage in trains and to handle more passengers, especially during peak hours.
He said this in response to a question by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Bandar Tun Razak-PH), who asked when the aforementioned trains would implement coaches specifically for women to ensure their comfort, especially during peak hours.
Nevertheless, the DAP secretary-general said the ministry still strives to maintain the safety and comfort of passengers through other measures.
“The Transport Ministry cares for the safety and comfort of passengers using city trains, especially women,” he said.
“Although there are no coaches reserved for the group at this time, officers on duty and Prasarana auxiliary police are always ready to ensure that trains are safe and comfortable,” he added. – The Vibes, March 21, 2023
