Death Of Blind Man At Lrt Station A Wake Up Call

---

 
From 18 civil society organisations and eight individuals
We are writing this open letter with deep concern following the death of an elderly visually impaired man, who lost his life after falling onto the railway tracks at the Titiwangsa LRT station and being struck by a train yesterday.
This heartbreaking and preventable incident underscores the urgent need for improved safety measures across our existing and upcoming rail transit systems.
Public transportation should be safe and accessible for everyone, including the elderly, children and disabled persons. While Malaysia has made significant strides in developing its rail infrastructure, it is crucial that urgent action is taken to address glaring safety gaps to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Suhakam had undertaken an access audit of the Titiwangsa LRT station only two months ago and this tragedy still occurred. How does this inspire the confidence of the general public?
Therefore, we urge transport minister Loke Siew Fook and Rapid Rail’s management to immediately implement eight measures:
Install platform screen doors at all existing and new rail stations
Many modern rail systems worldwide, including those in neighbouring countries like Singapore, have adopted these screen doors to prevent falls onto tracks.Enhance tactile flooring and audible alerts
Enhance tactile paving on station platforms to help guide passengers who are visually impaired, have dementia, or have cognitive issues, to name a few. Additionally, provide regular, timely, and clear audio announcements and warning signals to alert passengers about approaching trains.Increase station staff and improve assistance services
Ensure more trained personnel are on duty at key areas throughout operating hours to assist passengers with needs, ensuring they can safely navigate stations and use rail services without injury or loss of life. Develop SOPs for passenger assistance
Establish clear and structured SOPs for passenger assistance across all rail stations. Include in these SOPs detailed guidelines on emergency response measures and station management during both peak and non-peak hours. Conduct regular drills and reviews, followed by corrective action as required, to keep staff updated on good practices.Comprehensive training for all personnel
Ensure that training is conducted regularly for all station and rail personnel on appropriate means of assistance for passengers with diverse needs. The training, monitoring and evaluation must be conducted in collaboration with stakeholders, including disabled peoples’ organisations.Install advanced surveillance and emergency response systems
Strengthen the life-saving and injury-prevention scope of CCTV monitoring in Malaysia’s rail system using artificial intelligence to identify potential safety hazards in real-time, enabling rapid response and timely intervention.Conduct public awareness campaigns
Educate passengers about station safety protocols, including special provisions for persons with diverse disabilities (visible and invisible), senior citizens, and children.Reduce platform-train gaps
Many wheelchair users struggle with the wide gap and height differences between train carriages and station platforms. Implement gap fillers, ramp systems, and better-aligned platform heights to significantly improve accessibility and safety for wheelchair users and passengers with mobility, cognitive and psychosocial support needs.As Penang and other states embark on constructing new public transport systems, we strongly urge the planners and developers to integrate these safety measures from the planning and blueprint stage.
Designing an inclusive and secure public transport network will not only prevent tragedies, but also enhance public confidence in Malaysia’s rail system and networks.
The loss of a life due to preventable circumstances is unacceptable. We sincerely hope that this incident serves as a wake-up call for authorities to take proactive measures in ensuring safer public transportation for all passengers. - FMT
This letter was endorsed by 18 civil society organisations and eight individuals, including the Society of the Blind in Malaysia.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

---