Budget boost ‘no silver bullet’ for railway problems, says expert

The government’s RM3.4 billion budget allocation for railway modernisation must be followed by strong execution and preventative upkeep, says a transport consultant.

Rahman Hussin, executive director of MY Mobility Vision, said capital expenditure must be paired with operational discipline to deliver actual results.

“We must recognise that buying new trains and upgrading infrastructure will not automatically solve every reliability problem. Success depends on how well these investments are implemented,” he told FMT.

The budget allocation provides funds for Prasarana Malaysia Bhd’s rail overhaul and procurement of 42 new train sets for KTMB.

Rahman said KTMB needs sufficient track capacity, signalling systems and maintenance facilities for the new train sets to function properly. He said the Klang Valley double track project was evidence that track infrastructure is just as vital as expanding the fleet.

He said establishing a true culture of maintenance across transport operators requires systemic changes that encompass management choices, procurement planning, technical capabilities and organisational accountability.

When tabling the 2027 budget estimates on Friday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim directed Prasarana and KTMB to take immediate action against service breakdowns.

He also said the government will continue the My50 travel pass for 300,000 users of Prasarana’s bus and rail services in the Klang Valley, and introduced MyKomuter50 to benefit 40,000 KTM Komuter users, with average monthly savings of up to RM160.

While Rahman said the passes can help reduce household transport expenses and encourage more people to use public transport. Putrajaya should back them with consistent funding, he said.

“We should consider more predictable multi-year funding arrangements, supported by clear service performance requirements. “Making public transport affordable is important, but affordability alone will not convince people to leave their cars behind. They also need services that are frequent, reliable and comfortable,” he said.

The investment in Prasarana and KTMB was seen by Ahmad Farhan Sadullah, a fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, as a long-overdue, forward-looking shift away from reactive habits. However, Putrajaya must provide full technical clarity on how Prasarana intends to execute its asset recovery.

“Prasarana will need to optimise the new fleet to maximise users and provide satisfactory levels of service at the same time. Details of the rail service overhaul are necessary. Important procurements for existing system upgrades, repairs or overhauls should be included, especially to replace outdated systems on the Kelana Jaya, Ampang and Monorail lines,” he said.

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