By Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has acknowledged serious shortcomings involving basic facilities and infrastructure at the Ipoh Railway Station following issues that went viral through comments on the Ipoh Echo/Peraktastic Facebook page.
The concerns raised include prolonged escalator breakdowns, chaotic parking management, the absence of proper security control and last-minute changes to ETS train sets without clear notification to passengers, reflecting systemic weaknesses that not only inconvenience users but could also potentially compromise safety.
In a statement, KTMB said it had taken note of all the complaints raised and apologised for the inconvenience experienced by passengers.
According to the company, repair and upgrading works on the escalator at Ipoh Station are currently in full progress and are expected to be fully completed by April this year.
In this regard, KTMB said it understands the difficulties faced by passengers, particularly senior citizens and persons with disabilities (OKU), during the repair period.
“At present, station staff are always ready to assist passengers who require help, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities, to ensure that movement while boarding and alighting from trains is smooth, safe and controlled.
“This practice is implemented continuously in order to prioritise passenger safety,” the statement said.
On the issue of parking, KTMB explained that parking management at Ipoh Station falls under the jurisdiction of the Ipoh City Council (MBI) and the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC).
Nevertheless, KTMB said it would continue to work closely with the relevant parties to examine appropriate improvement measures to ensure better-organised parking management and enhance convenience for station users.
Touching on the issue of last-minute changes to ETS train sets, KTMB said such situations usually occur when a train set experiences technical problems and needs to be replaced with another set depending on current operational availability.
It added that efforts would continue to minimise last-minute changes and to improve the delivery of information to passengers from time to time.
In terms of information dissemination at stations, KTMB said it would enhance the public address system to ensure announcements are clearer, more structured and easier to hear, thereby facilitating passenger movement and travel planning.
At the same time, station staff will continue to be on hand to assist and provide guidance to passengers, particularly those in need of assistance.
“KTMB remains committed to improving facilities and services. All feedback received will be used as important input in our continuous improvement efforts, while fully supporting the Visit Malaysia 2026 initiative,” the statement added.
For information, the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) is the body responsible for administering, managing and maintaining railway assets owned by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).
RAC functions as the asset owner, including Ipoh Railway Station, making it a key entity within the national rail transport ecosystem.
