Commuters are seen walking along the platform of the KLCC LRT station in Kuala Lumpur May 25, 2021. ― Bernama pic
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 ― Several commuters have complained on social media today over the tighter policy involving public transport instituted today for the new movement control order dubbed MCO 3.0 which has led to crowded train stations.
Among others, Galen Centre for Health and Social chief executive Azrul Mohd Khalib said on Twitter that the government should view the policies through the perspective of public health instead of security.
“As a lifelong user and supporter of public transport (I don’t even own a car), I believe that we need to look at these issues from a public health, not a security perspective.
“If you want to know what the fundamental problem is with these transport SOPs (standard operating procedures), it is that,” he posted while tagging the National Security Council’s (NSC) account.
On Saturday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the capacity and frequency for public transport including trains and buses will be halved starting today.
Meanwhile, founder of Kota Kita Sabah, Rashidah Kamaluddin expressed the public’s anxiety over the policy, which she said may add burden to one’s mental health by worrying about using public transport amid rising Covid-19 cases.
“People are already emotionally distressed due to the pandemic,” she posted on Twitter.
“Now people get even extra stressed out using the public transport ― have to come way earlier and wait way longer in the crowd with the risk of being infected & get compound cause ‘disobeying SOP’.”
DAP Lim Kit Siang’s aide Syahredzan Johan also expressed his frustration towards policymakers whom he said have failed the public for being out of touch with reality.
“SOPs are made by policymakers who never take public transport, never work late, never have to think about families having time to eat, never work shifts, never working overtime, and never have to think about breakfast,” he said.
On Twitter, there are already several posts by users showing the crowded stations and lines that formed up this morning, seemingly taking longer hours than the usual peak commuting hours.
Policy bodoh kerajaan untuk public transport (train). Less frequency, less occupation on the train. So nak kena keluar rumah lepas subuh ke kalau nak sampai office on time? @AskRapidKL pic.twitter.com/pzwf2T2jYi
— njwznl.YL (@nrjwznl) May 24, 2021
Sebab new SOP kat train, sekarang train jadi pack macam sardin balik.
Kelaut social distancing. Cacamerba punya SOP.
Picture : SS story from my friend pic.twitter.com/9bW08aUPLO
— Nizam (@nizamiks) May 25, 2021
Public transport advocacy group Transit Malaysia confirmed that RapidKL has reduced the frequency of LRT, MRT, monorails and buses by 50 per cent which will cause congestion.
“RapidKL has reduced the frequency of LRT, MRT, monorail and bus to 10 to 30 minutes, by -50 per cent from the original frequency.
“We’re a little worried. While it is said the SOP is to reduce passenger capacity by 50 per cent in vehicles, the frequency reduction will further congest the vehicle,” it posted on its Twitter account.
Earlier today, it was reported that the Kelana Jaya Light Rail Transit (LRT) line is operating from 6am this morning using a single track and supported by a free shuttle bus service.
Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, in a statement, said that the service will operate with a train frequency of 10 minutes during peak hours and 30 minutes at other times, as well as a 50 per cent capacity reduction, following the government’s announcement on stricter measures in the implementation of the new movement control order dubbed MCO 3.0.