Eight LRT, MRT stations designated as 'safety points'

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of eight LRT and MRT stations have been designated as emergency response centres under the Rapid KL Safety Point (RSP) project.

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd president and chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah said the programme, which began on Wednesday (Oct 19), was a continuation of the police's "Go to Safety Point" initiative with petrol stations since 2013.

"All eight stations were chosen as each location has a high volume of passengers, especially during peak hours.

"We will start with the eight stations in this pilot project. Each station will have special stickers to show that the station provides emergency aid to those who need it," he told reporters after the launch of the RSP at Kampung Batu MRT station on Wednesday (Oct 19).

The eight stations chosen for the RSP are Kampung Batu MRT station, Pasar Seni LRT and MRT stations, Masjid Jamek LRT station (Kelana Jaya and Ampang routes), KL Sentral LRT station, KLCC LRT station and Bukit Bintang MRT station.

The RSP project would eventually include all 147 rail stations under Prasarana, to be done in phases, he said.

"We have a total of 900 auxiliary policemen, with three to five in each station ready to provide emergency aid.

When the Putrajaya route is fully operational, Rapid KL expects a sharp increase in commuters compared to the 600,000 per day currently, he said.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Azmi Abu Kassim, who launched the project, said the project was timely as public safety was always prioritised.

"Since January, 261 crimes, including snatch theft and molest, have been recorded on public transport in the city. The RSP project is a move in the right direction to increase safety for passengers.

"We hope this project will lead to more awareness on crime prevention," said Comm Azmi.

He also said police were targeting an eight to 12 per cent reduction in the Kuala Lumpur crime index next year.

"We can achieve such a target if we all work together," he said.