MRT Stations Vandalised: Broken Toilets And Trash Thrown All Over The Place
It has only been a week since the new stations were opened last Monday, 17 July.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 24 Jul 2017, 12:56 PM
The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line was opened at 4pm last Monday, 17 July.
Now, just a week later from when it was launched, reports have surfaced on how parts of the stations have been vandalised.
According to a report by Astro Awani, some of the stations, especially the MRT Merdeka and MRT Bukit Bintang station, are already starting to show signs of being vandalised, with some of the toilets damaged and seats in the platforms left with scratches.
There were reportedly sightings of cigarette buds and trash strewn all over the floor.
Some of the damages were apparently so bad to the point that certain seats in the platform had to removed to be fixed.
Astro Awani spoke to one of the maintenance workers for MRT, Md Rasal, who told them that he had seen people littering at MRT stations.
"I've seen people throwing things like rubbish, wood, and other random things. But, I can't reprimand them because they are Malaysians and I am a foreigner. The only thing I can do is to take photos of it and alert the management," he told Astro Awani.
One of the main attractions at the new MRT stations are the engravings of the Rukun Negara tenets on the wall of MRT Merdeka station.
Unfortunately, some of the engravings are chipping off after some parents were reportedly seen letting their children climb on the walls.
The Rukun Negara tenets engraved on the wall in the MRT Merdeka station.
Image via Bernama/New Straits Times"These wall panels are very expensive and we hope that parents can control their children and ensure that they are not climbing on the walls.
"Other than disrespecting the message of Rukun Negara, it could also be dangerous for the children if they fall.
"The engravings should be respected as it is our pledge as Malaysians," said MRT Merdeka station manager, Chia Seng Kah, when speaking to Astro Awani.
MRT Corp strategic communications and stakeholder relations director Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah also posted a series of photos depicting the sad state of the brand new MRT stations
"I went around to several @mrtmalaysia stations today. Happy to see weekend crowds in the trains. What I'm sad about is the damages/vandalism that has happened at our stations. Just after five days of operations! So many scratches on benches and walls. Damages in toilets - a toilet in an OKU toilet was broken two days ago.
"Just now I saw a broom stick (penyapu!!!) and a spotlight on the rooftop of Exit F at MRT Bukit Bintang station. I'm sure those two dead things didn't walk up to the roof by themselves," read his Facebook status that was posted yesterday, 23 July.
"We provide a first class facility but if the society is not ready with first class mentality to embrace it, we are going to waste a lot of money and time unnecessarily to do the repair works," reminded Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah.
He even took a photo of a splint from the Rukun Negara wall. The post has garnered more than 1,000 likes and 600 shares.