Dire issues

The Light Rapid Transit, or LRT, has become my major mode of transportation to and from work. Every Monday to Friday, I would find myself taking the LRT from Terminal Putra (Gombak) to KLCC and back. And everyday the situation only gets worse in the train.

I am rather appalled by the fact that between Terminal Putra and KLCC, there are so many more stations where we need to stop to pick up and drop off passengers. However, things have gone so bad that by the time we pick up passengers from the third station (Wangsa Maju) in the morning,  there just isn’t anymore space left in the train to accommodate passengers boarding from Setiawangsa onwards, unless some other passengers alight.

This capacity problem has also come to an extent where passengers from Taman Melati or Wangsa Maju would board the train heading towards Terminal Putra, which would then proceed on the opposite direction once it has picked up passengers from that station. In this way, passengers from Taman Melati and Wangsa Maju can ensure that they will have a space in the train, and that they need not join the massive crowd that are heading to KLCC straightaway.

Years ago when this train service started, there was never a capacity problem. But now, the trains are not able to handle the large capacity. By the time the train reaches Setiawangsa, each person does not have more than a square-foot of space to stand on. So what about passengers from Jelatek, Dato’ Keramat, Damai and so on?

The company that runs the LRT services, RapidKL, should add more coaches to the current trains and increase the rate of arrival of trains in order to accommodate the ever increasing number of passengers.

It is annoying to see that we are paying for such an important service and yet we are deprived of our comfort while travelling. It is not like we have a choice not to take the LRT to work because it is convenient, cheap and rather safe. It allows us to avoid the traffic jams that would be inevitable if we had driven a car.

However, just because we are now part of the Kuala Lumpur community or have always been part of it does not mean that we must subject ourselves to this kind of unsightly treatment. Statements like “You are a KL-ite now so you need to get used to the KL life”, “If you don’t like our services then get out” or “Be thankful that you at least have a space to stand on in the train” should not be the reason why we should tolerate or compromise with this kind of nonsense. We are paying so we should have the right to demand for better services.

It is not fair to exploit us consumers just because we have to put up with all this asinity in order to turn up for work punctually. As consumers, there isn’t a reason why we should put up with this kind of treatment when the whole service is monopolised by a single entity. If we could choose any other alternative which is more comfortable and convenient, we would have definitely switched and not remain with the trains. However, there isn’t, and therefore we must make do with the current public transport, and yet they are not doing well, too. They only have profits in mind.

And now with the emergence of the H1N1 flu, I wonder even more if the parties involved actually take steps to ensure that the virus does not spread around like wildfire. Although not 100% effective, they should sterilise the trains frequently or install air-purifying systems. It is bad enough to see people sneezing and coughing in the trains, and nothing is done to ensure that all pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed. They should employ measures that are used in commercial airlines, albeit a little modified.

However, from my side, as I cannot depend on RapidKL or any other party to ensure health safety in the trains, I have resorted to wearing a mask. The moment I arrive in the office I would go to the washroom to wash my hands with soap thoroughly before beginning my work. As the H1N1 flu has started to spread locally, we must not take any chances now. People in the high risk zone like me, who travel in trains frequently and mingle a lot with the crowd must take measures to minimise direct contact with people. I have got young cousins who are still schooling and I don’t want to put them, or their parents, at risk, too.

If you could minimise direct contact with the crowd, then by all means do so. Stay indoors if possible and avoid crowded areas. If you cannot avoid crowded areas such as the LRT, then wear a mask.

Most importantly, if you are sick, don’t go around infecting other people!