THE Transport Ministry will give a full report in two weeks on the collision involving two LRT trains, the first since the service began in 1998, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said.

“Within these two weeks, we will identify whether this collision was caused by an error in the system, signalling, communications or a human error,” Wee said at a press conference held at the KLCC station tonight. 

Wee added that his ministry will set up a special task force, which will include a panel of investigators, to investigate the cause of the collision.

“Tomorrow, director-general of the Land Public Transport Agency will submit his preliminary report and within two weeks, the task force will present the findings of the investigation to me,” Wee said. 

Earlier, Dang Wang OCPD ACP Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said the collision caused minor injuries to 166 passengers and 47 with serious injuries.

Those who were slightly injured were sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital and several hospitals nearby.

The accident happened at 8.45pm in the tunnel between the Kg Baru and KLCC stations. One of the trains, being test-driven, only carried a driver. 

Mohamad Zainal said all the passengers were from the train that was heading from the KLCC station to the Gombak station at one end of the line. The empty train was going from the Kg Baru station to the Gombak station.

The two trains were reportedly travelling below 40kph and collided in the tunnel between the Kg Baru and KLCC stations.

Wee considered the accident a serious matter, which he said is the first in its 23-year history of operation in the country.

“When the two trains collided, it was at a combined speed of 60kph.

“So, the impact was huge and it may have caused the passengers to be displaced to a relatively long distance which may have caused their injuries,” he said.

Wee said the focus now will be on treating the injured victims and compensation by Prasarana Malaysia Bhd for all the victims would be discussed later.

Wee added that it is too early to confirm if the train services in the line would resume tomorrow.

He, however, said Prasarana would provide an alternative for passengers to commute.

“I think Prasarana must be used to such situations, where if there are any issues with the trains, they prepare busses as alternatives for passengers.

“This could indeed be the actions of Prasarana,” he said. – May 24, 2021.