Rapid Rails unilateral decision had Pak Long Mail seething

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today reprimanded Rapid KL Rail Service Operator, Rapid Rail, for ending social distancing in trains and stations without consulting the government.

He said the operator should have applied to the National Security Council (MKN) before making such an important decision.

Rapid Rail, he pointed out, had no power to change the policy set by the government even though he acknowledged that the SOP on social distancing would affect the number of passengers in the public transportion.

"Rapid Rail has no power to change the policies or regulations set by the government.

“When the government decides that there is a need for social distancing everywhere, they cannot just ignore the government’s directive.

"If they want to make any changes, they need to ask MKN to make the changes, not suddenly announce what they thought should be made public," he told a daily press conference here on Tuesday.

Therefore, he said, what Rapid Rail had done was wrong and did not get the prior approval of the Special Ministerial Meeting and the MKN.

However, he said the losses that may be incurred by the public transport operator by adhering to the requirement of allowing only half capacity of their trains were being discussed by the government.