Early this morning, Kuala Lumpur's Kelana Jaya LRT line came to a sudden halt during peak rush hour. A train became completely immobilised at the Kelana Jaya station due to a critical component failure. Transit operators scrambled for crowd control as platforms overflowed with stranded passengers.

If this feels like deja vu, that's because it is. Just days ago, on 12 May, the exact same Kelana Jaya line suffered a severe communication system failure near the Pasar Seni station, paralysing morning traffic.

While netizens flooded social media to vent, many pointed fingers directly at the Transport Minister. But here is the reality check: Anthony Loke is not the one tightening bolts or diagnosing train engines at 6am.

The real problem is age, not negligence

The Kelana Jaya LRT line is now 25 years old. It carries between 300,000 and 321,000 passengers daily across a system originally built with a global operating standard of just 20 years. It is running on ageing train sets that have long exceeded their intended lifespan.

Loke himself has acknowledged this openly in Parliament, confirming that 26 new train sets are on order from CRRC, with delivery expected by 2028.

In the meantime, operator Prasarana Malaysia Berhad has been directed to implement a "recovery action plan" and "early procurement of additional spare parts" just to keep the system from collapsing entirely.

Who actually fixes the trains?

The government does not fix trains. Prasarana, the state-owned asset owner, hires contractors to do that. From air-conditioning systems to sewage treatment, contracts are actively being issued to private firms as recently as early 2026.

So when a train breaks down because a contractor did not do its job properly, the man in the minister's chair cannot drop his pen, run to the depot, and fix it himself.

What he can do is ensure contracts are enforced, hold operators accountable, and push for fleet renewal. That is precisely what he has been doing.

The real question

When you blame the minister for every delay, are you holding the right person accountable? Because even if Anthony Loke resigned tomorrow, the ageing trains would still be breaking down. The next minister would face exactly the same problem, unless the deeper structural issues are addressed.

It is easier to blame a face than a system. But the Kelana Jaya line is not falling apart because of one man's incompetence. It is falling apart because it was built for a 20-year life and is now entering its 26th year.

Until the new trains arrive, breakdowns will keep happening. No minister, no matter how capable, can repeal the laws of physics or the reality of ageing steel.

It's all Anthony Loke's fault for the LRT problem, or is it?

The real problem is age, not negligence

Who actually fixes the trains?

The real question

Comments

Join the Conversation