Malaysia’s newly launched LRT3 line, which connects Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang, officially began operations on June 28, 2026, attracting an overwhelming response from commuters. The new line recorded more than 60,000 passenger trips on its first day of service.
While thousands were busy enjoying the new railway, one Malaysian engineer shared a touching family story behind the country’s expanding rail network that has since resonated with many online.
According to New Straits Times, 32-year-old maintenance engineer Emir Irfan Mohd Zufri posted two photos on his Threads account, @emir_tractiondrive, showing an emotional father-and-son comparison nearly three decades apart.
One photo showed Emir’s late father riding Vancouver’s SkyTrain in Canada in 1997, while undergoing testing and commissioning training for Malaysia’s LRT2 project, formerly known as the Putra LRT and now the Kelana Jaya Line, which officially opened in 1998.
The second photo captured Emir sitting in an LRT3 train in 2026, striking the exact same pose as his father while carrying out testing and commissioning work before the new line officially entered service.
“History is repeating itself,” Emir wrote in his post.
“I also have to ride the trains to carry out various tests, understand how the maintenance systems work, and there’s still so much for me to learn.”
Emir revealed that his father dedicated 25 years of his career to Malaysia’s railway industry, beginning at the Kelana Jaya Line Operations Control Centre before eventually rising to the position of manager.
Before retiring in 2021, his father had also contributed to the early stages of the LRT3 project. Sadly, he passed away before he could witness the line’s completion and official opening.
“My father would always ask me about the progress of LRT3 while he was still around. It felt like I was reporting to my boss every time he asked,” Emir shared.
Interestingly, Emir never expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. Having studied automotive engineering, he only entered the railway industry in 2020 as a maintenance engineer, first working on the MRT Putrajaya Line before joining the LRT3 project in 2023.
Although his career took an unexpected turn, Emir said he is committed to learning and hopes to contribute alongside his team to provide Malaysians with the best possible rail service.
His heartfelt post has touched many Malaysians, with netizens thanking both father and son for their contributions to the nation’s public transport system.
Many also pointed out that behind every LRT journey are generations of dedicated engineers and railway workers whose efforts have helped build and expand Malaysia’s urban rail network.
For Emir, the opening of LRT3 is more than just another milestone in public transportation — it is also a deeply personal reminder that his father’s legacy continues to live on through the work he now proudly carries forward.
