Cable theft along railway tracks has led to a total of 1,300 hours of delays across Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) train services so far this year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook revealed.
In a written response to Parliament, Loke said the thefts have repeatedly disrupted KTM’s signalling systems, resulting in significant delays affecting both intercity and commuter services.
Between January and August, 104 cable theft cases were recorded nationwide. The KTM Komuter network was the most severely impacted with 741 hours of delays, followed by the Electric Train Service (ETS) with 562 hours of disruptions.
State-wise, Perak (38 incidents) and Selangor (37 incidents) were identified as the main hotspots. Other affected areas included Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Pahang.
Loke said KTMB is collaborating with enforcement agencies to increase patrols at high-risk areas and reinforce physical barriers along vulnerable railway stretches in an effort to curb further thefts.
The minister was responding to Kampar MP Chong Zhemin, who had questioned the impact of cable theft on KTM train operations.
