“Sudden Disruptions: Don’t Demand the Impossible in Advance Notice” – Anthony Loke

Anthony Loke stated that more than 220 disruption incidents were recorded in 2022, but the number was successfully reduced to fewer than 50 cases the following year.

Kuala Lumpur - Anthony Loke revealed that more than 220 service disruption incidents were recorded in 2022, but the figure was successfully reduced to fewer than 50 cases the following year.

He said the sharp decline reflects the effectiveness of improvement measures and mitigation strategies implemented by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad to strengthen maintenance practices and asset management.

“Continuous improvements have been made, and the results can be seen in the significant reduction in disruptions. The steps taken to enhance maintenance have begun to bear fruit.

“However, we acknowledge that commuters are still not fully satisfied, and neither is the ministry. But to claim that there has been no improvement at all would be inaccurate and unfair,” he said.

He was responding in the Dewan Rakyat to a supplementary question from Abd Ghani Ahmad (PN-Jerlun) regarding the effectiveness of existing maintenance programmes in drastically reducing asset failures and shortening recovery times in the event of unexpected disruptions.

Anthony added that the ministry has set clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Prasarana Malaysia Berhad to ensure disruptions are minimised and response times improved.

Addressing the issue of advance notice, he explained that most disruptions stem from sudden technical faults or signalling system failures that occur without warning.

“How can we issue prior notice if a disruption happens unexpectedly? These are not planned interruptions. If it involves scheduled maintenance or operational changes, advance notice will certainly be given to the public,” he said.

Meanwhile, in response to an original question from Syahredzan Johan (PH-Bangi), he said Rapid Rail has extended peak-hour operations during Ramadan to accommodate changes in commuter travel patterns.

During Ramadan, morning peak hours are extended from 6.30am to 9.30am, compared to 7am to 9.30am previously, while evening peak hours are extended from 4pm to 8pm, instead of the usual 5pm to 7.30pm.