A monorail train travelling along an elevated beam in Brickfields.
KUALA LUMPUR: Scomi Engineering Bhd (SEB), whose subsidiary made the four-car train sets that are currently grounded by Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, said these trains are “fit for operation” based on full inspection being carried out.
The rail and commercial vehicle manufacturer said in a statement that the four-car trains were solely operated and maintained by Prasarana Malaysia Bhd’s subsidiary Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd after Scomi Transit Projects Sdn Bhd delivered them starting in 2014.
The fleet, which was introduced since December 2014, has not been in operation since mid-May.
Rapid Rail, which operates the KL Monorail Line, said the four-car train sets were grounded for safety reasons.
Rapid Rail CEO Datuk Zohari Sulaiman said in a statement on Wednesday that the trains had been handed over to the supplier, Scomi, for re-examination and rectification.
SEB said in its statement on Thursday that prior to the revenue service, the trains underwent rigorous validation process, design reviews and endurance tests either independently or jointly with Prasarana, the engineer under the contract, suppliers and authorities before a rail worthiness certificate was issued by an international independent checking engineer (ICE) and presented to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for its final approval to start revenue service.
The Prasarana-appointed ICE was MMRA Ltd, an independent and impartial organisation that provides assurance and certification services to all areas of the railway industry.
“Scomi became aware of the grounding at the same time as the public through Rapid Rail’s media release, whereupon Scomi approached Rapid Rail to discuss its concerns and recommended certain enhancements. These enhancements do not alter the fundamental design philosophy and safety of the trains previously approved by Prasarana and certified by the ICE in 2014,” SEB said.
SEB explained that due to a contractual dispute between Scomi Transit Projects and Prasarana, its unit was instructed to vacate the KL Monorail new depot about nine months ago.
“Nonetheless, in the interests of the public for continued operations of the four-car trains, Scomi has been extending support to Rapid Rail,” it said.
“We are of the opinion that based upon full inspection being carried out, these trains are fit for operation. An effective urban transit system is dependent upon all its systems being in good operable condition, assisted by efficient maintenance practices. Through early detection and mitigation, reliability of the fleet can be maintained.”
SEB said notwithstanding the above and the pending resolutions to the dispute, Scomi Transit Projects was committed to delivering the full fleet of four-car trains and had cooperated with Prasarana and the relevant stakeholders for the project completion.
It said it had continued to progress with the manufacturing of car bodies and bogies to ensure the remaining six trains could be completed within the agreed seven months in accordance with the third supplemental contract signed between it and Prasarana on March 3.
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