Dr Mahathir launches KL Monorail service

`MONORAIL', the city's latest public transportation has been launched by Dr. Mahathir at Bukit Bintang station in Kuala Lumpur, Aug 31. - Utusanpix.

KUALA LUMPUR Aug 31 - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad Sunday officially launched the latest public mode of transport in the city, the KL Monorail Transit system.

The launch at the KL Monorail's Bukit Bintang station was also attended by his wife, Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, Transport Minister Datuk Chan Kong Choy and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

The RM1.8 billion KL Monorail system was supposed to have been launched last September but was postponed after a 13.4kg safety wheel came off and fell on a Bernama reporter, David Chelliah, who was walking under the overhead tracks of the system in the city, during a trial run on Aug 16 last year.

However, Patrick Wong, executive director of MTrans Holdings, the parent company of KL Monorail System, has assured the Transport Ministry that all safety mechanisms for the service had been put in place.

Speaking to reporters Saturday, he said: "Security is not an issue anymore because all precautionary measures, including redesigning of certain parts of the system, have been done to minimise all technical risks."

Meanwhile, Malaysians celebrating the National Day Sunday can try out the monorail from 4 pm onwards, at RM1 per trip, which is a special promotional rate for September.

Half of all the fares collected during this period will be donated to charitable organisations.

After September, tickets for a ride on the monorail, which stretches 8.6km from Titiwangsa to KL Sentral, will be priced at RM1.20 to RM2.50. There are 11 stations in the monorail link.

The monorail train can travel up to 90kph with up to 214 passengers. It is expected to reduce the inner-city road traffic by some 15 percent.