KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) passengers want stronger security measures after an attempted cable theft along the Kajang MRT line from Phileo Damansara to the Damansara town centre was disrupted this morning, following a suspected cable theft attempt.
The delay from 5.30am to 6.32am left commuters furious, wondering if the government is taking the cable theft problem seriously.
Shaarvishen Gopal, 22, said the disruption left commuters frustrated as cable thefts are beyond their control.
"Someone steals cables, and thousands of people have their day ruined. How is that fair?" the student said.
He said commuters needed to see concrete measures to prevent similar incidents, rather than apologies after disruptions.
"Some people are rushing to work, students are trying to get to class, and others have appointments they cannot afford to miss.
"We lose time, money and energy because of situations like this, and it is exhausting. Do not just apologise after the disruption. Show us what you are actually doing to prevent it from happening again," he said.
Karthigeswary Mageswaran, 23, who relies on public transport to get to work, said commuters were bearing the consequences of a problem beyond their control.
She questioned why preventive measures have failed to stop cable thefts despite the previous reported incidents.
"This cable theft has been happening for a long time and the authorities still cannot prevent it from happening," she said.
Noor Izzati Akmar Hairu'Al-Akmal, 24, said she was "speechless and furious" upon learning of the disruption, given the number of people who depended on MRT services.
"I do not think enough is being done if incidents like this keep happening.
"They should take stronger security measures instead of waiting for something to happen before taking action," she said.
Nur Farah Yasmin Bahari Hisham, 22, questioned how MRT infrastructure could be targeted despite the security measures.
She questioned whether sufficient closed-circuit television (CCTV) coverage and security personnel were deployed in vulnerable areas, adding that the incident had undermined her confidence in the service.
She added that disruptions could also worsen road congestion as affected commuters turned to alternative transport.
Siti Farhana Muhamad Rapidi, 23, said she continued to rely on public transport because driving into Kuala Lumpur meant dealing with traffic congestion, leaving commuters with limited alternatives when MRT services were disrupted.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd