Trains in Sg Siput

It is really frustrating to hear the trains zoom past while waiting at the Sg Siput Railway Station!

Ever since the rail lines were electrified we have had these Commuter, ETS and Inter-City trains trundling along without ever stopping at the big, beautiful Railway Station in Sg Siput.  This is a city with 120,000 plus residents.  When they first started the Electric Train Service every body was eager to try it out.  Because on ETS you could reach Kuala Lumpur in less than 3 hours on a very comfortable airconditioned coach.

But woe of woes, we were intimidated that these trains would bypass Sg Siput.  Why we cried!  Because the powers above decided that Sg Siputians had to be taught a lesson.  In GE12, GE13 we had voted the opposition PKR while kicking out the corrupt BN in Sg Siput.  Federal was of course BN territory and they held the reins of power.  They decided that Sg Siput should be decided.  We waited until GE14 to kick these BN corrupts out of power in the Centre also.

So we now had a government run by PH at the centre and it was also voted in in Sg Siput.

But still no train.

Now KTMB management (who I believe were all BN lackeys) came out with a fantastic story.
There were NOT enough passengers to justify stopping trains in Sg Siput.  And another the Station had no shunting facilities.  Now why on earth would Sg Siput need a shunting yard when all the trains need do is just pick up passengers and move on to the next station?  And how did they discover that there were no passengers when they did not do a thorough research?

Now let's talk about Padang Rengas.  It is a very small town near Kuala Kangsar (about 17 km) with a population of about 50,000.  And yet all intercity trains stop here.  Moreover, the KT Komuter service to Butterworth starts and ends here.  Observations have been made and we found that there is hardly 2 or 3 passengers arriving or boarding these trains.  Now why was Padang Rengas chosen as the terminal station?  Was it because a powerful BN minister was from this constituency?

Many people in Sg Siput travel to Ipoh daily to go to work or for higher studies, because the BN MP decided in his wisdom that Sg Siput need not have any factories or colleges.  Now how do these people travel?  They are forced to travel by car, buses or taxis.  Cars spew toxic gas and cost a bomb in petrol prices, buses are very irregular (so you do not know if you will reach your workplace or college in time) and taxis are expensive.  These are reserved for emergencies.  So cannot the high and mighty in the Transport Ministry or KTMB do something about this?

After all, the trains are already running to Padang Besar and Butterworth in the north, and KL and Gemas in the south.  All these trains pass through Sg Siput.  It only requires 1 minute or so to stop and load passengers.  Why can't they do it?

The Komuter train starts in Pdg Rengas and goes up to Buttereworth.  Why can't these trains be extended to Ipoh and have stops at all the stations on the way viz Kuala Kangsar, Sg Siput, Chemor and finally at Ipoh.  These will help many hundreds of people who can make use of these trains to arrive safely at their work places etc.

Sometimes, I wonder whether we have right people who are capable of making smart decisions at the top level at KTMB.  These are business decisions which could affect the bottom line of KTMB's balance sheet.  Trains from Butterworth to Pdg Besar stop at all stations on the way.  Some of them are mere villages.

So why is Sg Siput being ignored in this fashion?  I sincerely hope that the MP and ADUNs in Sg Siput will take up this matter earnestly in Parliament and State Assemby soon.  We hope to receive a favourable answer soon.  Or the next GE15 will be open to debate.