PETALING JAYA: Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd has apologised after a disabled person was stranded at an LRT station in Puchong close to midnight on Dec 28 as none of its staff was present to help.
Rapid Rail said that the incident occurred around 11.30pm at Pusat Bandar Puchong Station on Dec 28, when a disabled commuter on a motorised wheelchair had difficulty exiting the station's automatic fare gates.
It said that at the time of the incident, no one was present at the counter as the station's workers were en route to the Awan Besar LRT station for final tasks.
Fortunately for the disabled man, auxiliary police at the station provided assistance by manually opening the gate to allow the disabled user to exit at 11.47pm, said Rapid Rail in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 31).
"Based on a video shared on social media, the disabled user experienced difficulty exiting due to a sensor on the automatic gate.
"To ensure the sensor functions properly, users on motorised wheelchairs need to be in the tactile area in front of the gate before inserting tokens or tapping their cards," it said.
Rapid Rail CEO Amir Hamdan said the company has since taken immediate action to prevent the same from repeating.
"Auxiliary police on duty will be stationed at automatic fare gates to monitor and assist passengers to exit the station smoothly and safely.
"Additionally, the number of signs featuring Rapid KL's helpline number will be increased and displayed in visible locations for wheelchair users, making it easier for them to get immediate assistance.
"Rapid Rail will collaborate with representatives of disabled associations and wheelchair clubs to enhance services and facilities for the disabled, as well as the travel experience of this group at all rail stations," he said.
