KUALA LUMPUR: Random inspections will continue on users of public transport in the Klang Valley, whether on the MRT, LRT, BRT, monorail or buses, to ensure compliance to the protocols of the movement control order.
Commuters in the city were kept on their toes when police conducted a surprise audit here yesterday, with Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Zainal Abdullah leading a team to patrol LRT, MRT and monorail stations as well as the Pasar Seni bus hub.
“It has been a year since we came under new norms brought about by the MCO. There is no reason for anyone to say they forgot or is unaware, ” he said at the Hang Tuah LRT station after taking the LRT from Dang Wangi, before heading to the Pasar Seni bus hub.
He then led his team to the MRT Kajang Line, before switching over to the KL Monorail, accompanied by Prasarana Malaysia’s chief for security, Supt Mohd Faizul Ramli.
No compound notices were issued but ACP Mohamad Zainal said his officers reprimanded several commuters for not wearing face masks properly.
Commuters who were inspected could produce the relevant documents to move about, with the documents ranging from letters from their employers as well as from the police.
“I am satisfied with the steps taken by Prasarana to ensure compliance to the SOP at the transport hubs it operates, ” ACP Mohamad Zainal said, adding that having temperature scanners and the MySejahtera QR code at appropriate locations, other than efforts by Prasarana employees to ensure everyone is masked up, were adequate measures.
Over at KL Sentral, intercity passengers were subjected to one of the strictest security checks they had ever been through, with a large group of KTM Bhd’s auxiliary policemen perusing the travel documents of those heading back to their hometown.
The paperwork of each of the 160 passengers who boarded the 10.30am northbound ETS from Gemas to Padang Besar was carefully scrutinised.
Regular ETS user, Madam Chan (not her real name), said even though she had been carrying her travel documents, she had never been asked to produce them on her many previous return trips from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar.
“Today, I was asked to produce my documentation and they thoroughly checked it. I have to return to Alor Setar as my scheduled Covid-19 vaccination is on Wednesday, ” she told The Star.
According to Khair Johari Ishak, KTMB’s head of operations control, all KTMB personnel had been directed to do their utmost to ensure only authorised travellers can pass the boarding gate, whether it is for the Komuter service, the ETS or other intercity services.
“We ensure all passenger documentation is in order, other than ensuring they check in using MySejahtera and also measure their temperature.
“We will make sure that all passengers comply with the existing SOP for public transport use, including observing proper distancing and wearing face masks properly, ” he said when met at KL Sentral.
Ridership on both KTMB and Prasarana has been badly hit by the pandemic, with Prasarana’s ridership easily down by 40% last year compared to 2019.
Ridership of KTMB’s ETS plunged by 55% over the same period, or from an annual figure of 3,901,872 in 2019 to 1,750,970 last year.
Ridership on KTM Komuter also declined by 60%, from 83,000 riders a day in 2019 to 33,000 last year.