KUALA LUMPUR: Cable theft is not merely crime, but an act of sabotage of public safety that requires stronger deterrents under the law, says Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister said that the thieves are growing brazen due to high copper prices and are willing to risk their lives for quick profits.
Loke was speaking to the media on Thursday (Feb 5) after launching the My50 Savings Tracker and the digitalisation of the Rapid Kota and Rapid Kembara passes at the Ampang Park LRT station.
The Minister also called on enforcement authorities to go all out to stop this robbery, which he said delays and causes massive losses to the national transport system and plans.
"This is not just theft - it is an act of sabotage and a threat to public safety.
"We welcome the Home Ministry’s plan to amend laws to impose stricter penalties for cable theft.
"Current fines are too low and do not send a strong message.
"Cable theft disrupts operations for Prasarana and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) and poses serious safety risks," said Loke.
He said that while more effort could ensure better security or theft-protected design for cables and fixtures on transport infrastructure, he said that the cost would be too high to change what is existent.
"While infrastructure design improvements can help, changing entire systems would be costly. Strong police enforcement and firm action are more important.
"These areas are restricted and dangerous, with live electrical systems. Thieves are risking their lives due to the high resale value of copper cables.
"We will not be responsible for any injuries or fatalities resulting from illegal entry into these restricted areas," warned Loke.
On Feb 3, the government stated that it will review existing laws to impose harsher punishments for cable theft as the crime can affect strategic projects such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).
The consensus was reached during a recent meeting between Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Loke and key railway operators, including KTMB and ECRL.
Saifuddin called on all rail operators to ramp up investment in security technology, such as installing CCTVs and smart monitoring systems.
He said the two types of cable most frequently targeted are signal and power supply cables, which have high resale value.
Pahang currently records the highest number of cable thefts, which correlates with the most active ECRL installation areas.
The penalty for cable theft is only a RM1,000 fine, a penalty deemed disproportionate to the financial losses suffered by rail operators and the government.
