What was once a fragmented system has evolved into a vast connected network, with snaking lines criss-crossing each other carrying millions of passengers to all corners of Greater Kuala Lumpur.
In 2004, Rapid KL, a service brand under Prasarana, was established and took over the operations of the financially troubled Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik Sdn Bhd (Putra) and Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan (Star) LRT lines, now known as the Kelana Jaya and Ampang/Sri Petaling lines.
At the time, there were two separate LRT stations at Masjid Jamek – one for each line. One of Rapid KL’s first moves was to integrate these stations into one hub, enhancing interconnectivity in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
In conjunction with Rapid KL’s 20th anniversary, Prasarana President and Group CEO Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah reflected on its accomplishments over the past two decades.
“One of the highlights has been running the Ampang and Kelana Jaya lines and extending them all the way up to Putra Heights. In 2016, Phase 1 of the Kajang Line was launched, and in 2017, Phase 2 opened.
Last year, we launched the entirety of the Putrajaya Line.
“From a rail network perspective, it has increased by leaps and bounds,” he told FMT.
Azharuddin said Rapid KL’s bus fleet now incorporates electric buses, presently used on the Sunway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), in line with sustainability principles and a commitment to reduce its carbon footprint.
The transport operator has also significantly expanded its bus service which now plies 323 routes.
Bouncing back
Rapid KL’s journey has not been without its fair share of challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic, which struck in 2020, and a collision on the Kelana Jaya Line the following year hit the company hard.
“After the unfortunate incident in May 2021, the government was understandably concerned and disappointed. My task when I came in, just after the accident, was to ensure that we never face such a terrible situation again.
“The government’s mandate was to make sure our operations were up to standard to regain the public’s trust. We faced many difficult situations, especially with disruptions, as our systems weren’t working well,” said Azharuddin.
Despite these difficulties, Prasarana continues to pursue its goal of contributing to the government’s overarching vision of achieving a 40% public transportation modal share target by 2030, and focusing on reliability and service improvements.
“Our priority for the past few years has been improving the reliability of our trains. We have seen significant improvement with fewer disruptions.
“2022 was a challenging year, with over 200 disruptions, averaging around 50 per line. We managed to reduce that to 20-30 in 2023, and our goal this year is to bring it down even further to no more than 15-20 disruptions,” he said.
Prasarana also tackled bus lane congestion by collaborating with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the police to enforce dedicated lanes, resulting in tangible improvements.
“We’ve never had effective bus lanes. Last year, we collaborated with DBKL to try out bus lanes on Jalan Ampang.”
“We’ve also implemented one on Jalan Genting Klang, and it’s been very successful. Ridership has increased by 20%, and commute times have decreased by 10-15 minutes,” he said.
However, the most tangible proof of Prasarana’s success has been in its ridership numbers.
“Our ridership has now reached pre-pandemic levels of 1.2 million passengers a day, and we expect it to go higher in the coming year.”
Looking ahead
A significant upcoming project for Prasarana is the Shah Alam line, which will run from Bandar Utama to Johan Setia Klang — a 37km route with 25 stations.
The first 20 stations are expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2025.
The line is projected to benefit millions in Shah Alam and Klang, linking with the Kelana Jaya line at the Glenmarie station and the Kajang line at the Bandar Utama station.
Rapid KL is also upgrading to an open payment system, which will allow commuters to use credit or debit cards and smart devices for a seamless travel experience, as used in other world-renowned metro systems.
Another top priority is addressing Malaysia’s first-and-last-mile connectivity issues.
Apart from building more pathways and covered walkways in collaboration with various local authorities, Prasarana has also carried out upgrades to its infrastructure, including bus stops.
It also launched its Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) service in May 2023 to meet individual customer needs.
“Rather than just buying buses, we asked ourselves how we could make it easier for customers to plan their journeys. We tested it last year with three vans, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
“We decided to purchase 150 units this year, and the finance ministry agreed it was the right solution and provided funding for a total of 300 vans. These vans will serve as first-and-last-mile connectivity from residential areas to transit points and vice versa,” he said.
With key initiatives in 2025 targeting improved service levels across rail networks, the introduction of new diesel and EV buses, the expansion of the increasingly popular Rapid DRT service, and the commencement of the LRT Shah Alam Line, Prasarana anticipates a surge in ridership across its rail and bus services, with 1.4 million daily passengers targeted by end-2025.
Azharuddin described Prasarana’s efforts in bringing visible changes on the ground to transform Kuala Lumpur into a globally renowned city as a “satisfying and unparalleled experience”.
“Prasarana and Rapid KL have achieved so much in the past 20 years. We have made great strides in elevating the public transport experience for Malaysians.
“All this would not have been possible if it were not for the cogs in the public transport machine – the 13,000 men and women of Prasarana and Rapid KL working tirelessly behind the scenes,” he said.