GEORGE TOWN: The Transport Ministry is drafting legal amendments to impose tougher penalties on cable thieves, including longer jail terms and heavier fines.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the ministry was working with the Home Ministry to strengthen existing laws as cable theft continued to threaten rail operations and public safety.
"We are in the process of drafting amendments to the law. We are working with the Home Ministry to tighten the penalties," he told reporters after launching Penang's first electric bus here today.
Loke said details of the proposed amendments had yet to be finalised, with discussions still at the policy stage.
"We are still discussing the policy to increase imprisonment terms and fines," he said.
He said cable theft affected several rail operators, including MRT services, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) and the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), which has yet to begin operations.
He said the thefts were not ordinary criminal offences, as damaged or missing cables could compromise railway operations and endanger passengers.
"Cable theft is not an ordinary theft. It involves public safety," he stressed.
He said every incident could disrupt rail services, with consequences extending beyond operational delays to the safety of commuters and the reliability of the country's rail network.
Loke said tougher penalties were needed to deter offenders, while stressing that rail operators should strengthen preventive measures, including installing closed-circuit television cameras at strategic locations and deploying more auxiliary police to secure restricted areas.
He said enforcement and prevention must go hand in hand to protect railway infrastructure from theft and service disruptions.
Recent incidents involving the Kajang MRT Line and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) have highlighted continuing concerns over cable theft targeting transport infrastructure.
In the latest incident, about 100 metres of cable was cut between the Phileo Damansara and Pusat Bandar Damansara MRT stations early yesterday.
The suspects abandoned the cable when approached by auxiliary police and Prasarana personnel.
They are believed to have rolled it up and left it aside for later collection.
Police are investigating the suspected theft and tracking down those responsible.
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