Putrajaya mulls longer jail terms, higher fines for rail cable theft to protect public safety, says Loke

Putrajaya is considering tightening laws to impose harsher jail sentences and larger fines for individuals who steal cables from the country's rail networks, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke. The specifics of the proposed amendments have yet to be finalized, but Loke confirmed that discussions are underway between the Transport Ministry and the Home Ministry.

The issue of cable theft has been brought to his attention following a recent incident on the MRT Kajang Line, and he emphasized that the problem extends beyond the Metrorail network to other rail operators, including Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad. Loke noted that the electric rail cable ripping company (ECRL) has also been a victim of cable theft, even though it has not yet started operations.

He stressed that cable theft is not a regular theft, but rather a serious offense that poses a threat to public safety. Loke further stated that it is the responsibility of rail operators to take preventive measures, which could include installing CCTV cameras at key locations and increasing the number of auxiliary police officers to protect restricted areas from cable thieves.