Beef up security at tracks, says Kong

BATU GAJAH: Security along the railway lines should be beefed up to prevent a recurrence of the collision between a Sabah Railway train and a fuel tanker at an illegal crossing in Kota Kinabalu, on Monday.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha expressed his regret that many people still chose to flout the safety regulations and endanger their lives in using these illegal crossings.

Despite the existence of designated crossings along the railway line, he said some people even cut the wire fencing just to create short cuts and save them from making a long detour.

“It is hard to understand why people would risk their lives as well as others by using these illegal crossings. Here, KTM Berhad also has to deal with trespassers,” he said after a working visit to the Batu Gajah Railway Academy here.

On the incident ,which saw 12 people including a pregnant woman, suffer varying degree of injuries, Kong said the ministry would assist in carrying out an investigation.

Meanwhile, Kong said the 38 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains bought from China would start operations next June. The trains, costing RM1.89 billion, are currently undergoing accreditation trials.

“We received delivery of three trains in September and October and four more will arrive at Port Klang later this month while the rest will come in stages till May,” he said after inspecting the units with KTMB president Dr Aminuddin Adnan.

He said the acquisition would increase KTM Komuter’s service capacity from 19,000 passengers a day to between 150,000 and 200,000 by next year.

“We aim to improve the service by reaching a speed of 140km per hour to shorten the waiting time of passengers which is currently half an hour to about ten minutes,” he said.

Sumber : NEW STRAITS TIMES