Kuala lumpur: The government is finalising amendments to the rail transport law to impose heavier penalties with fines of up to RM100,000 on criminals who trespass and steal cables from national rail facilities. Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said the proposal to increase the fine from the current RM1,000 is expected to be tabled in the next Parliament session.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hasbi stated during a question and answer session at Dewan Negara that the law amendment is crucial due to the lenient nature of existing penalties, which do not match the significant impact of damage and delays to train operations. The amendment is driven by an increase in cable theft cases, which have caused a total loss of RM50 million across Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) network, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, and the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.

A total of 71 cable theft cases were recorded along the ECRL project, resulting in an estimated loss of RM4.06 million. Moreover, 13 cases of theft and damage to equipment and other materials related to the system resulted in a loss of RM0.69 million. The cumulative loss amounts to RM4.75 million. Although the ECRL is still in its construction phase, these incidents have the potential to affect the project implementation schedule, including installation, testing, commissioning, and operational preparations.

To enhance security, the government is installing 1,146 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along the railway line from Johor to the northern regions. Additionally, KTMB has procured 20 units of scrambler motorcycles for Auxiliary Police to conduct 24-hour patrols. Physical controls, such as closing high-security manholes and utilizing sniffer dogs (K9), are also being implemented to combat cable theft effectively.