Following the recent toll rate hikes, a reliable source told The Star Online that KTM Komuter fares will also be increased effectively from 2nd December onwards.
The new fares will apparently be announced today (2nd November).
The fare is expected to experience a 4 sen increase, from the current 11 sen to 15 sen per kilometre (km). KTM Berhad (KTMB) chairman Datuk Nawawi Ahmad, who is also Langkawi MP from UMNO, revealed that the company wanted to set the fares at 20 sen per km to cover the losses. He explained that the losses of 9 sen difference amounted to about RM100mil a year.
Nawawi said that a hike was needed to increase the Komuter services and reduce the current 15 to 30 minutes waiting times. He wanted to shorten it to 7 minutes and 30 seconds in the future.
According to Nawawi, the fare hikes will not involve KTMB’s Intercity trains. He also clarified to The Malay Mail Online that his appeal to the SPAD has yet to be approved by the Cabinet.
He said:
I didn’t confirm; I am only asking for a hike. It is up to the government to set the price. They have the authority and power to set the fare.
He further explained that fare hikes were proposed to cover the train service’s operation costs, instead of asking for subsidy from the government. “For many years since 2002, there is no increase at all. Our cost per kilometre is at 20 sen but our ticket price per passenger only covers 11 sen per kilometre. Right now, our operating revenue cannot cover our operating cost,” he added.
KTM Komuter fares were last revised in 2003. The fares were to have been increased in May, but was put off due to objections from the public.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar had previously said that fares for the light rail transit (LRT) and monorail will be revised, indicating that prices were likely to go up too.
Sources: The Star Online, The Malay Mail Online (1) (2).
