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We urge the Government to carry out an inquiry into the commuter train accident at Bukit Tembok near Seremban
 

Press Statement
by Dr Tan Seng Giaw

(Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday): Train accident occurs from time to time. This time, the Bukit Tembok accident injured several passengers and shocked hundreds of others. Some newspapers reported as eight seriously injured. This has attracted attention. We hope that all injured recover speedily and that the Government will help them. 

Commuter train service is getting more popular. For example, commuters park their cars near the Kepong Garden station, take a train to their destinations such as places of work and return in the evening. The environment of the station needs to be improved and the covers of the nearby manholes must be covered; they have been vandalized. We hope that this accident will not scare the passengers. Hence, the Government must hold an inquiry into it.

 

Train Department in the Transport Ministry monitors train services in the country, laying down and enforcing rules, regulations and standards, to ensure safety, efficiency and comfort. We feel that this department has to be revamped, to make it more effective.

 

Commuter train is relatively new. Yet, there was an accident. You can imagine trains running on ancient tracks. However, providing train service is complicated. Not many train services in the world make profit. The old British railway often had accidents. We have to learn from the British experience. We must modernize our railway and improve the service to attract more passengers.

 

(3/3/2004)


* Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong