APAD to Investigate Kelana Jaya LRT Breakdowns, Prasarana Ordered to Explain

Service disruptions on the Kelana Jaya LRT Line at the start of Ramadan have triggered an official probe, after back-to-back technical issues left thousands of Klang Valley commuters stranded and frustrated.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he views the incidents seriously and has directed the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) to investigate the breakdowns. If the probe uncovers unreasonable operational weaknesses, action will be taken against Prasarana Malaysia Berhad.

“The public has every right to expect a more efficient and reliable service,” Loke said, adding that Prasarana’s chief executive officer has been instructed to present a full explanation and an immediate recovery action plan at a post-Cabinet meeting.

The disruptions began during the busy morning rush hour when a manually operated train created a bottleneck between the Asia Jaya and Taman Bahagia stations around 8am. 

The resulting 90-minute delay caused heavy congestion across the line, with shuttle train services activated to ease the backlog. However, the ripple effects extended well into the late morning.

Commuters barely had time to recover before another glitch struck in the afternoon. At around 3pm, a malfunction involving both train doors and platform screen doors at KLCC station has forced a temporary halt in service. 

Although technicians resolved the issue within about 15 minutes and operations resumed by 3.15pm, severe crowding quickly built up at key interchange stations.

By 4.15pm, Rapid KL warned of significant congestion across major connecting points and advised passengers to consider alternative routes. 

Those heading towards KLCC were encouraged to bypass the usual LRT–MRT interchange and instead switch from the MRT Kajang Line at Tun Razak Exchange to the MRT Putrajaya Line, stopping at Persiaran KLCC station, which is within walking distance of the Petronas Twin Towers.

Rapid KL later apologised for the repeated service interruptions and thanked passengers for their patience.

The Kelana Jaya Line, one of the Klang Valley’s most heavily used rail corridors, has faced recurring technical glitches in recent years, particularly during peak hours. 

With Ramadan typically seeing increased travel activity closer to breaking fast, commuters are hoping the promised recovery plan will bring more stable and reliable service in the weeks ahead.