Free Prasarana train, bus rides for PWDs from Feb 1 - Loke

KAJANG: All OKU card holders will enjoy free public transportation services under Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) from Feb 1 next year, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Loke said the initiative involves all mass rapid transit (MRT), light rail transit (LRT), monorail and Prasarana bus services in the Klang Valley.

He said Prasarana was given one month to prepare and coordinate the ticketing system, including giving special concession cards to Persons with Disabilities (PwD).

"PwD users only need to show their OKU card issued by JKM (Social Welfare Department) and apply for the (special) card.

"Prasarana agreed to provide free rides for PwDs, although it has a financial impact on Prasarana, but this is part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative," he told a press conference at Stadium Kajang MRT station here today.

Currently, OKU card holders only enjoy a 50 per cent discount for public transport.

Earlier, Loke launched the Women's Coach pilot project for the MRT Kajang Line at Bandar Tun Hussien Onn MRT Station in Cheras.

He said the pilot project was aimed at improving comfort and ensuring the safety of female passengers as well as preventing them from becoming victims of sexual harassment.

Since the MRT Women's Coach for the Kajang line was launched in September, he said complaints regarding the issue of sexual harassment showed a downward trend from eight cases in the first quarter of this year to only three cases in the fourth quarter (as of last month), even though the number of passengers increased.

Accordingly, he said the pilot project would be expanded to the Putrajaya line.

-- BERNAMA