Southern Shuttle service to use diesel trains for now, says Loke

PETALING JAYA: The use of diesel trains for Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad’s (KTMB) Southern Shuttle service is only a temporary measure, says transport minister Loke Siew Fook.

He said this will ensure local residents face no further delays while KTMB waits for the new Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains to arrive, Bernama reported.

Loke is referring to the service which he launched last Tuesday, linking Kulai with Johor Bahru Sentral and Pasir Gudang.

“We have two options. We can either wait two to three years for 10 new EMU train sets to be completed or to use the existing trains now so that the people of Johor do not have to wait any longer.

“The new EMU trains will arrive in due time. But if the public can already use the service now, there is no need to wait,” he said on Facebook today.

According to Loke, the transport ministry has allocated an annual subsidy of RM11 million to RM15 million to enable more people to benefit from rail-based public transport.

Loke added that a second route under the Southern Shuttle, connecting Pasir Gudang with Kempas Baru is also a milestone, as it had previously been reserved for freight services.

“It has now been opened to passengers for the first time,” he said.

Loke was responding to criticism from certain quarters over the service using older diesel trains and the fares being three times higher than in Kuala Lumpur and Seremban.