KTMB's quality of Komuter service should commensurate with fare hike - Users

Users of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad's (KTMB) Komuter trains want the company to improve its service in line with the fare increase which will take effect on Dec 2.

They feel that among the actions that should taken by KTMB is to increase the frequency of trips, especially during peak hours, in addition to improvement to the facilities, including toilets, at its stations.

Twenty-year-old Izyan Hanim Ibrahim, who commutes back and forth from Gombak to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), said the commuter fare increase do not commensurate with the services provided.

She said this to Bernama when asked to comment on the KTMB's announcement on Monday on the Komuter's new rates, which would increase by 4 sen per kilometre with a maximum fare of up to RM7.10 per trip for the Tanjung Malim-Sungai Gadut and Batu Caves-Port Klang routes.

READ: New commuter fare necessary to meet rising costs - KTMB Chairman

Meanwhile, the fares for the routes between Sungai Gadut-Tampin and Kamunting-Gurun remained unchanged.

KTMB president Lt Col (Rtd) Sarbini Tijan said the fare hike was to cover the operating and maintenance costs which increased from year to year.

For private sector employee Mohamad Ridwan Ahmad, 32, the price increase did not affect him much because he felt it was still low compared to other public transport.

"However, I agree with other users that KTMB should ensure that the services provided are on a par with public transport provided by other companies like RapidKL.

"KTMB should provide basic facilities such as upgrading of public toilets, prayer rooms, adding lanes for cashless ticket payment (Touch 'n Go) and having auxiliary police service at every stop," he said.

For Nurul Ain Yaakop, 26, who mainly used the service to commute from Rawang to Shah Alam, the increase seemed inappropriate, with the ever increasing cost of living faced by the public.

"The increase should commensurate with the enhancement of services, it should not remain stagnant...ensure that users are happy when using the service," she said.

Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations president Datuk N Marimuthu told Bernama that KTMB should have enhanced their services before implementing the fare increase.

He said the new fare imposed was not on par with the quality of service provided by KTMB especially in terms of safety and comfort.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia's chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said KTMB should instead reduce their operating costs, as it was not meant to be a for-profit company.

"In fact, we want KTMB to give discount to users who truly needed the service," he added.