It was a busy day in the airwaves today as both the Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya and Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong fired shots at each other over problems with Keretapi Tanah Melayu’s (KTM) train service.
Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya president Abdul Razak Md Hassan told Free Malaysia Today (FMT) that the ministry was interfering with the operations of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).
He said the train sets the ministry had bought through direct negotiations were of poor quality. The train sets require frequent maintenance and have shorter lifespans which will only contribute to problems for KTMB.
Other than that, he also said that the ministry has not been transparent about projects involving the train service and KTMB’s efforts to improve railway facilities.
Razak pointed out that the people’s reluctance to use public transport such as the KTM trains due to poor service was the transport ministry’s fault. He alleges that the ministry is delaying KTMB-related projects on purpose.
As an example, Razak cited the second phase of the Klang Valley Double Tracking Project (KVDT2). The delays in the project meant that trains cannot be operated frequently causing inconvenience to commuters.
With the delays, Razak also believes that KVDT2 can't be completed by 2026, which is a date promised by Wee Ka Siong last October.
According to FMT, the project was in legal limbo since the former administration under Muhyiddin Yassin terminated the contract. Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz had cancelled the project claiming that KVDT2 was awarded through direct negotiations by Pakatan Harapan.
Wee has since fired back at the union over Razak’s “wild allegations” during a press conference held today (9-June-2022).
He claims that the procurements made by the ministry underwent a stringent process and that any direct negotiations would be overseen by a committee.
He also stresses that any purchase of new train sets followed specifications set by the ministry.
Keyword: Who's to blame for KTM's poor service? Union and transport minister trade blows