KTM Shuttle Selatan: good news expected Budget 2027
Malaysian transport ministerAnthony Lokehas said that prime ministerDatuk Seri Anwar Ibrahimis expected to announce good news regardingKeretapi Tanah Melayu‘s (KTM)Shuttle Selatanservice during theBudget 2027tabling later today,Bernamareports.“… for those commuting from theKempas,Paloh, andKulaiareas toJohor Bahruusing the KTM Shuttle Selatan, there will be good news announced by the prime minister during the tabling of the Budget tomorrow,” Loke said yesterday.He added that the initiative is expected to further help living costs and that KTM Shuttle Selatan has so far carried around 20,000 passengers since itsJune 16 launch, averaging between 200-300 passengers daily. In late-June, KTM announcedhalf-off promo faresfor the service, dropping one-way tickets that ranged from RM7-RM16.40, to RM3.50-RM8.20. Is it going to get even cheaper?The servicecontroversially uses diesel-hauled trainsand sometimes even a ‘hybrid’ consist, which involves anold Komuter trainsetsandwiched between a diesel loco (to pull the train) and a power generator car (to keep the lights, doors and air-con working). Loke said then that it was better to launch the service now with this rather thanwaiting up to three years for new electric multiple units(EMU).But one surmises that because thePasir Gudang branch line(which used to be a goods line) is still not electrified, electric trains can’t work there anyway, hence the need for diesel. What’s beyond me is why KTM’sEast Coast Linecouldn’t spare adiesel multiple unit(DMU) or two for this service – they’re much newer than the Komuters used in the hybrid trains, and there’d be no need for the locomotive to run around at the end of the line.KTM has been known to use hybrid trains like these in the past to keep broken-down Komuters in service.Add paultan.org as a preferred source on Google SearchAddFollow paultan.org on Google NewsFollow
