30/05/2026

SATURDAY | MAY 30, 2026

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LRT services to resume on Wednesday after derailment

Online trends fuel risky hiking habits

KUALA LUMPUR: A tendency among some individuals to underestimate nature, fuelled by the pursuit of instant popularity on social media, has been identified as a main factor contributing to the rising number of missing hikers and emergency incidents in the forest. Mountain Medicine Society Malaysia president Muhamad Aliff Abdullah said safety awareness among enthusiasts has not grown in tandem with the rising popularity of the activity. He said aesthetic content on digital platforms has given rise to a trend of “express hikers” who are obsessed with chasing peaks or ticking off mountains for fear of missing out. “Many people see hiking as a low-risk activity, while the mountain environment can change very quickly and unpredictably. Problems arise when social media does not reflect the reality of the challenge, only showing the beautiful end result. “As a result, many go for challenging category trails without basic experience, proper physical training or honestly assessing their own abilities. This could lead to a reduced ability to make rational decisions due to extreme fatigue, hypothermia or acute mountain sickness.” Muhamad Aliff, an expert in wilderness medicine and high-altitude hiking and climbing, explained that emergencies in the forest are usually the result of a chain of weaknesses, including equipment preparation, fitness levels, terrain and mental assessment of hikers. He said common critical mistakes in the field are failing to maintain team discipline, refusing to turn back during bad weather as well as relying too heavily on gadgets without basic navigation and survival skills. Commenting on beliefs surrounding missing hiker incidents and mystical elements or forest taboos, the 7 Continents Exploration Club of Malaysia president said while elders’ customs and advice should be respected, modern science must remain the priority. “Many traditional taboos, such as not speaking loudly or not leaving the group, actually carry important safety elements. However, scientifically, what is often seen as ‘mystical disturbances’ is usually caused by dehydration, panic, lack of sleep, reduced oxygen to the brain or high-altitude cerebral oedema.” He suggested that hiking safety management in the country be reformed through a more modern and structured risk management system. Muhamad Aliff also proposed a standard mountain risk-rating classification system, as well as mandatory digital registration systems, including QR codes, live tracking or emergency beacons for high-risk routes. He called for stricter action against those engaging in hiking activities without a permit, as well as efforts to strengthen rescue expertise through a national-level outdoor recreation safety education module. Meanwhile, Norimah Abd Karim of Persatuan Malim Gunung Perhutanan Selangor said SOP violations, such as ignoring team discipline and refusing to use the “buddy” system in a rush to reach the summit first, remains the biggest challenge faced by mountain guides. With over 10 years of experience, including completing the Trans Titiwangsa expedition, she said it is risky for hikers to carry minimal gear just to appear like professional trail runners on social media. “There are hikers who focus on getting interesting content so much that they are willing to take risks and neglect their own safety. In fact, there is a trend in which they go on ‘Trans’ trips (covering several peaks in one expedition) without enough preparation.” Forest and hiking safety issues have once again come under the spotlight following a series of tragedies, including the case of Jaslinda Saludin, 49, who went missing at Gunung Batu Putih in Tapah last Saturday, with search and rescue efforts ongoing. Nur Izzati Humaira Azizul, 19, also went missing last Saturday while descending Bukit Changkat Asa in Hulu Bernam, Selangor, before her body was recovered four days later by search teams. – Bernama

o More time needed for operations to fully return to normal as train speeds would initially be controlled: Transport minister

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Services on the affected section of the LRT Ampang/Sri Petaling Line are expected to resume on Wednesday after repair works are carried out following a train derailment near the Chan Sow Lin Station on Thursday. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said repair works on the damaged track would begin immediately after the derailed train was removed yesterday. “The derailed train will be lifted and removed today. Once the train is removed, repair works on the track will begin and are expected to take between three and five days. “The track is expected to be reactivated on Wednesday, after the long weekend holiday,” he told reporters after a site inspection yesterday. However, he said it could take between a week and 10 days for operations to fully return to normal as train speeds would initially be controlled once services resume. He added that for the time being, trains travelling from Ampang towards East Sentul would temporarily stop at the affected station before reversing direction to allow space for repair works to be carried out. “One of the tracks cannot be used at the moment because the derailed train is still on the rail line and needs to be removed using a crane,” he noted. Loke said preliminary findings indicated that the switch station, which was supposed to direct the train towards Putra Heights, malfunctioned during the incident. “The first coach was on the correct track but the subsequent coaches were diverted onto the track heading towards Ampang. “This caused the six-coach train to be pulled in two different directions, resulting in the first and second coaches derailing.” He noted that the cause of the switch station malfunction must be thoroughly investigated as the system was designed to function automatically.

Loke said the cause of the switch station malfunction must be thoroughly investigated as the system was designed to function automatically. – BERNAMAPIC

Following the incident, Loke said the Transport Ministry has established an independent special task force to investigate the derailment, separate from Prasarana’s internal investigation. He highlighted that the task force would determine whether the incident was caused by human error, equipment malfunction or system failure. The task force will be led by Air Force Air Accident Investigation Bureau director-general Brig-Gen Tan Chee Kee and aided by railway engineering experts. Loke added that the task force has been given 30 days to submit its findings, which will later be presented to the Cabinet and made public for transparency. He also said despite the derailment, all other stations remain operational, although train frequency at affected stations would be slower over the next few days, with intervals of between six and eight minutes between trains. He described the derailment as a “very serious incident” despite there being no injuries reported. “We are fortunate that the train had not yet reached maximum speed when the

It said the investigation would be carried out independently, transparently and professionally, and appropriate action would be taken in accordance with existing legal provisions. “If the operator is found to have breached licence conditions, enforcement action may be taken under Section 101 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010.” The investigation will also cover elements of negligence under Section 202 and Section 128 of the Act, including against any individual found to have failed in carrying out responsibilities or acted negligently while performing duties, compromising rail operational safety, it added. The agency said it would continue working closely with the ministry and relevant agencies to ensure the safety standards and public confidence in the rail public transport system remain safeguarded. – Bernama derailment occurred during a track switch outside the station.” Loke stressed that incidents involving derailments could pose significant risks to passenger safety and the government is committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and stronger safety measures within the public rail system. He instructed Land Public Transport Agency to impose the “maximum possible penalty” on Prasarana Malaysia Bhd following the incident. He said the ministry is taking a firm stance on the incident and would not compromise on public safety issues. On Thursday, media reported that LRT services on the Ampang/Sri Petaling line were disrupted after a train derailed while passing through a track switch area at the Chan Sow Lin Station. Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd said the disruption occurred after a train became immobilised due to a track switch failure, which also affected the timetable on the line. It added that all 25 passengers on board were confirmed safe and evacuated in accordance with SOPs.

Prasarana ordered to submit incident report KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Agency has directed Prasarana Malaysia Bhd to submit a comprehensive report immediately following Thursday’s LRT train derailment near the Chan Sow Lin Station here. maintenance, safety systems and train operations,” it noted. It said it views the incident seriously and has carried out site inspections to assess the initial situation and ensure immediate action was taken by the operator.

The agency said the report would be examined in detail before interviews and further probes are conducted to determine the factors that contributed to the incident. It said the investigation would also seek to establish whether there were elements of non-compliance, negligence or breaches of operating licence conditions. “In line with the directive issued by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, the agency has immediately opened an investigation paper to conduct a thorough probe into the incident. “The investigation is underway to determine the actual cause of the incident, including examining compliance with SOPs, asset

The first inspection was led by its director-general Ahmad Radhi Maarof together with representatives from the Rail Enforcement and Rail Planning divisions while the second inspection, held at 3pm on Thursday, involved representatives from the Transport Ministry. “The second site inspection session was conducted to review the initial progress of the investigation, the level of operational safety and the follow-up measures that need to be implemented by the operator.” The agency stressed that passenger safety, the reliability of the rail system and integrity of public transport services could not be compromised under any circumstances.