KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry has issued a stern warning to Rapid Rail for making a unilateral announcement on doing away with the social distancing protocol without going through the proper procedures.
Its minister Wee Ka Siong said Rapid Rail had been told not to issue any announcement on changes made to the standard operating procedure (SOP) for social distancing in trains and stations without referring to the ministry for approval.
"For any SOPs that have been applied in the land transport sector throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period, the ministry has referred and deliberated them with the Health Ministry and later tabled in the National Security Council meeting for approval.
"On this note, any cancellation or relaxation of SOP should also be done through the same channel and procedure," he said in a statement on his Facebook page.
Wee also expressed his hope that such an oversight does not recur.
Earlier, Rapid Rail chief executive officer Abdul Hadi Amran said the company would drop the social distancing measures enforced on its rail services during the CMCO when it resumes full operations tomorrow.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob later said public transport operators could not ignore regulations set by the authorities.
Rapid Rail, he said, had no authority to disregard policies and rules set by the government, including ones covering social distancing as a preventive measure against Covid-19 infection.
In an immediate response, Rapid Rail, in a statement, said it would abide by the government's regulations.