CABLE THEFT: PRASARANA LOSES RM20.6 MLN, THREAT TO RAILWAY OPERATION SAFETY

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) is taking the issue of cable theft seriously, which has caused losses estimated at RM20.6 million in the past three years, thus affecting rail service operations and the safety of public transport users.

In a statement today, Prasarana said the issue of cable theft has not only impacted service operations, but also caused travel disruptions, delays and posed safety risks to millions of public transport users in the Klang Valley.

Prasarana group chief health, safety, security, environment and sustainable development officer Idzqandar Abu Bakar said the real impact of cable theft goes beyond financial losses as it involves critical systems that determine the safety of rail operations.

“Every theft incident causes disruption to train operations. Repair and replacement of cables must be carried out immediately to restore critical systems, and in this situation, passengers are the most affected,” he said in a statement today.

According to the statement, the trend of increasing cable theft cases is becoming more pronounced when 41 cases were recorded in 2024, while 69 cases have been recorded so far this year, which is an increase of 68 per cent.

Idzqandar said the issue not only affected the rail operations of Prasarana, but also had an impact on other rail operators and telecommunications companies, in addition to showing that the crime was recurring and had implications for the country's critical infrastructure.

The increase was driven by the demand and market price of cables, especially copper, which was increasing and making the crime more profitable for syndicates.

According to the statement, various preventive measures including the deployment of security personnel, joint patrols with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the installation of high-tech closed-circuit cameras (CCTV) and testing the use of sniffer dogs on the Kajang Line and Putrajaya Line had been taken to address the issue.

"Prasarana is also working with Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) to strengthen physical security at certain locations. However, with a rail line spanning over 200 kilometres, this effort is difficult to implement alone without the support of a more comprehensive enforcement and regulatory ecosystem," he said.

In this regard, Prasarana calls for the cooperation of all stakeholders including enforcement agencies, lawmakers, industry players and the public to collectively address the issue.

The public is also encouraged to immediately report any suspicious activities, especially in the rail line area, to the police so that swift and effective action can be taken, according to the statement.

-- BERNAMA