After Taiwanese tourist’s death, Loke orders platform doors at LRT stations

PUTRAJAYA – The Transport Ministry (MOT) has instructed Prasarana Malaysia Berhad to install passenger platform doors, also known as platform screen doors, at all Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations following the tragic death of a Taiwanese tourist who was fatally struck by a train at the Pusat Bandar Puchong station on Tuesday.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the directive is aimed at enhancing passenger safety, especially at older LRT stations that are not yet equipped with such features.

He stated that Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations already have platform doors that serve as barriers between passengers and the train tracks, only opening once the train has arrived and come to a complete stop.

“Passenger platform doors are already in place at MRT stations, serving as an additional layer of protection before the train arrives.

“However, there are still a number of LRT stations that have yet to be fitted with this safety feature,” he said during a press conference on June 6.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke speaks at a press conference today. Photo by Bernama

The announcement comes in response to the death of a Taiwanese man, who is believed to have fallen onto the tracks at the Pusat Bandar Puchong LRT station and was subsequently hit by an oncoming train.

The incident occurred at around 12.30pm on June 3.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras footage from the station has been obtained and will be handed over to the police, who have been tasked with leading the investigation.

“We understand that it was indeed an accident, but we will leave it to the police to conduct a thorough investigation,” said Loke.

He added that Prasarana would coordinate with the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) to liaise with the victim’s family and assist with the necessary arrangements.

This incident is not isolated. In February 2025, a visually impaired man died after falling onto the tracks at the Titiwangsa LRT station in Kuala Lumpur and was struck by a train.

Similarly, in 2018, a man died at the same Puchong station where the latest incident occurred when he descended onto the tracks and was hit by an oncoming train.

The Society of the Blind in Malaysia (SBM) in February highlighted that, to date, there have been at least 20 accidents involving visually impaired individuals falling onto rail tracks at Monorail, LRT or KTM stations.

These incidents have triggered public concern over safety gaps at certain older LRT stations, with many questioning why crucial features like platform doors remain absent in parts of the Klang Valley’s rail infrastructure.

The installation of platform screen doors is expected to be rolled out progressively, although the ministry has not yet announced a specific timeline for implementation.

As investigations continue, Loke stressed the government’s commitment to improving public transport safety to prevent similar tragedies in the future.