LRT Derailment Near Chan Sow Lin Raises Safety Concerns, Investigation Underway

Transport Minister Anthony Loke has described the recent Light Rail Transit (LRT) derailment near Chan Sow Lin Station as a serious incident, despite the fact that no injuries were reported.

According to Loke, Malaysia was fortunate that the train had only just begun moving and had not reached its maximum operating speed when it derailed during a track-switching process outside the station on Thursday.

“We are fortunate because the train had only started moving and had not yet reached its maximum speed when the derailment occurred,” he said during a press conference after inspecting the site on Friday.

The minister stressed that derailments within rail systems are considered high-risk events that could potentially lead to major accidents if not properly addressed.

“Although no one was injured, this remains a very serious incident. A derailment in a rail system carries significant safety risks and cannot be taken lightly,” he said.

Loke expressed gratitude that neither passengers nor railway personnel were harmed in the incident. However, he emphasized that the derailment should not be viewed as a routine service disruption and instead warrants a comprehensive and independent investigation.

“This is not something that can be dismissed as a normal operational issue. We must identify the root cause and share the findings with the public,” he said.

He added that transparency, integrity, and accountability must remain central to the management of public transportation systems, noting that incidents of this nature should neither be concealed nor repeated.

The Transport Minister also revealed that discussions would be held with Prasarana Malaysia Berhad regarding the possibility of conducting a broader audit of rail infrastructure under its management, including both LRT and MRT networks.

“Sustainable public confidence depends on the reliability and safety of our rail services. More than one million passengers rely on these systems every day across the Klang Valley,” he said.

Authorities are expected to carry out a detailed investigation into the derailment to determine its cause and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.