PETALING JAYA, May 20 — Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, operator of the Kelana Jaya Line, today acknowledged shortcomings in its service following two train disruption incidents this month.
Rapid Rail LRT chief operating officer Nor Azmi Mohd Yusof said disruptions that commuters may perceive as system failures or ageing assets were actually caused by instability during ongoing system upgrades.
He said the upgrades were part of long-term efforts to ensure safer, more stable and more reliable services for commuters.
“I do not deny the fact that older trains may contribute to failures.
“When a system is being upgraded, it takes time to achieve full stability and our contractors also have to deal with operational challenges during the process.
“So, not all incidents or disruptions are caused solely by the trains’ age, but ageing is indeed a factor, I do not deny that,” he told a media briefing at the Kompleks Rapid Rail Subang here.
The Kelana Jaya Line experienced service disruptions during peak hours on May 12 and May 18 following component failures.
Nor Azmi said the May 12 incident was the first of its kind since the line began operations in 1998.
Apart from replacing 26 train sets by 2030, Rapid Rail is also carrying out upgrades involving critical systems such as radio communications and signalling.
Nor Azmi explained that upgraded systems usually require one to two years to achieve full stability after implementation.
“If we look at system upgrade instability, at the beginning, we will naturally see several issues before things stabilise.
“Once stable, the system may then operate for another five or 10 years before major failures occur again.
“Usually, achieving stable performance takes between one to two years,” he said, adding that system stability is closely monitored and improvements are continuously made during the defect liability period.
On maintenance efforts, Nor Azmi said Rapid Rail has adopted condition-based maintenance to replace components before breakdowns occur.
“With condition-based maintenance, inspections are carried out more frequently rather than following manuals which may schedule checks every six months to a year.
“For example, if within three months we notice signs of wear in any component, it will be replaced immediately and I believe this approach helps us sustain the existing trains while awaiting the arrival of new ones,” he said.
He also acknowledged passenger overcrowding as an ongoing challenge, noting that current load factors have exceeded normal levels.
Nor Azmi said average weekday ridership had risen to 289,282 passengers a day from 150,889 in 2020, representing an average annual increase of 11.5 per cent.
“To manage this load factor, we need to increase the number of trains in operation and we are also implementing crowd management measures.
“We will ensure that stations do not become overcrowded to the point of endangering passenger safety, so these are among the steps we are taking,” he said.
Nor Azmi added that Rapid Rail has taken note of public feedback and welcomed suggestions to improve services amid rising ridership driven by efforts to encourage public transport use and fuel subsidy rationalisation.
“We acknowledge this, and we also recognise that this has become a major responsibility for us.
“We hope users can also understand the situation faced by Rapid Rail because what we are doing is our very best,” he said.
Date: 20 May, 2026 3:00 pm
Source: Malay Mail
💬 Join the Conversation! 💬
We’ve disabled comments on our posts and pages to keep the discussions organized and lively! But don’t worry – the conversation isn’t over. Head over to our forum and share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback with the community! It’s the perfect place to connect, learn, and engage with others who care about the same things. We can’t wait to hear from you!