Scaling down of LRT3 project raises concerns

I REFER to the latest news report that the LRT3 project would be continued but scaled down with the final cost being reduced by 47% to RM16.63bil. I’m glad the government has decided to go ahead with the project but I need to raise several serious issues concerning the steps being taken to rationalise the cost.

One is reducing the order of 42 sets of six-car trains to 22 sets of three-car trains. This move is very worrying. Downsizing from six to three cars and reducing from 42 sets to 22 will seriously affect the frequency and overall service of the system. Can Prasarana guarantee frequency of under four minutes, which is the standard for metro-style trains, with this reduction in train sets? Are we still okay with sardine-packed trains? If six-car train sets like the Sri Petaling LRT line are already packed, I can’t imagine what it will be like in three-car train sets.