LETTERS: On June 12, a fully packed Electric Train Service (ETS) train departed Kuala Lumpur at 3.55pm and was scheduled to arrive in Butterworth at 8.07pm.
But, the train broke down before it could reach Butterworth. At Bukit Mertajam, a technical glitch brought the train to a complete halt.
Alas, passengers were kept in the dark and left to fend for themselves. Those who did not wish to wait indefinitely on board the carriages disembarked and booked e-hailing service to reach their destinations.
When informed of the train breakdown, Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) board chairman Datuk Seri Musa Sheikh Fadzir expressed regret and apologised. He said although train services might periodically suffer technical glitches, it was unkind to leave passengers stranded without alternatives.
He stated that train repairs should be expedited in the future and would order an investigation into the incident.
He also said, "I am disappointed. We need to improve the standard of our service. And I hope there is no recurrence of it in the future."
However, such incidents will continue to recur for as long as there are no contingency plans to deal with various situations.
It is likely that over 99 per cent of public and private sector organisations do not have comprehensive plans ready for managing all kinds of incidents and emergencies.
In the case of train breakdowns, KTM, perhaps, should have made prior arrangements with bus companies to provide emergency services.
Preference should be given to tour buses, but where they are in short supply, school, workers and stage buses (from the pool) could also be deployed.
When needed, instead of calling bus companies one by one and speaking from one person to another, it is better to reach the drivers directly through their smartphones.
Better still, create a WhatsApp group so that one message sent out by KTM is immediately received by all drivers.
Drivers proceeding to the train station must send a text to the WhatsApp group their estimated time of arrival.
If 15 drivers have confirmed that they are on the way and the number is sufficient for all passengers, KTM could notify the rest that their service will not be needed.
In this way, there is no wastage. If for almost a year there were no train breakdowns requiring the use of buses to ferry passengers from one station to another, KTM could conduct a drill to assess the readiness and efficiency of bus drivers and pay them reasonably for making the trip.
Likewise, organisations with contingency plans should test them at least once every six months and seek feedback from the staff.
If this were done, it could also prevent or at least minimise many undesirable outcomes from occurring or unexpected incidents.
Y. S. CHAN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times