Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB), the national railway company, today confirmed that it has increased its monthly KTM Komuter ticket price.

This comes in the wake of a photograph of the ticket showing the increased fare that was circulated on the internet, and uploaded on Kelab Che Det Facebook page.

The photograph shows the monthly fare from Setia Jaya to Shah Alam has increased from RM48 to RM108, effective Dec 2.

KTMB general manager (commuter services) Azshidah Shah Shahari, in confirming the hike, said the increase is due to more trips being provided.

"Last time, the monthly ticket fare only covered 20 return jouneys; now it covers 30 return journeys," she told a press conference in KL Sentral today.

This works out to a hike of 50 percent per trip, from RM2.40 to RM3.60 per trip.

“The passenger is saving more this way despite the increase,” she said.

This means that the monthly ticket for the return trip between Setia Jaya and Shah Alam has increased from RM2.40 to RM3.60, an increase of 50 percent.

KTM Komuter monthly tickets do not provide for unlimited rides. While monthly passes for LRT, Monorail and RapidKL bus services did once provide for unlimited rides, they have stopped the practice and replaced it with discounted fares.

KTMB chairperson Sarbini Tijan, who was also present, said the hike did not cover the full cost of commuter service, which currently is 20 sen per km.

He added that the current government-approved rating is 15 sen per km after the increase, which is short of five sen.

“We are a heavy rail company. LRT, which is light rail, has asked for a 20 sen per km fare and got the approval. We only get 15 sen per km… Our track is heavily used not only for commuters but also for intercity journeys and for cargoes.

“Personally, I wish to charge 25 sen (per km) to make a five-sen profit. Otherwise, the people will say Sarbini doesn’t know how to do business… a small profit lah,” he said.

Jestingly, Sarbini also said he has to bring tempurung kelapa (coconut shell) to ask for government aid for the loss-making railway company.

Rerouting exercise

The company, he added, received only RM60 million yearly grant despite requesting for RM200 million to cover costs.

He also expects the company to make losses of RM55 million this year.

Sarbini also stressed that KTM train service has a clean accident-free record for the past 20 years.

Hence, it is safer to ride on train instead of on motorcycles, he said.

“Tell your friends that motorcycle has two tyres but train has more wheels. That’s why we are safer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sarbini also announced that two current major Komuter routes will be rerouted as Tanjung Malim/Rawang-Pelabuhan Klang and Batu Caves-Seremban/Gemas, effective Dec 15.

The existing routes are Tanjung Malim/Rawang-Seremban and Batu Caves-Pelabuhan Klang.

According to KTMB senior manager (commuter services) Shahril Sahak, who was also present, the rerouting exercise is to rehabilitate the track.

“Currently, Rawang-Seremban route takes two and half hours (of travel time) while Batu Caves-Pelabuhan Klang takes around an hour and half.

“We want to balance the travel time of both routes to to one and half hours,” he said, adding that both routes will fully use a six-coach car while the three-coach car will be phased out.

The exercise will take place till June 15, 2016.