KTMB services disrupted by cable theft yet again

PETALING JAYA: Cable theft involving the signalling and communication systems on three Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad’s (KTMB) northern routes today caused disruption and train delays of more than 60 minutes for both the Northern Komuter and Electric Train Services (ETS).

The affected locations were the Tapah Road-Sungkai (Km250.5) route with 200 metres of cable stolen, Kamunting-Bukit Merah-Bagan Serai (Km87.25) route with 110 metres stolen, and Simpang Ampat-Bukit Mertajam (Km15.5) route with 40 metres affected, Bernama reported.

Trains were delayed by 80 to 115 minutes.

The services affected were EP9172 (KL Sentral- Butterworth), EG9321 (Butterworth-Segamat), EX9107 (Butterworth-KL Sentral), EX9207 (Padang Besar-KL Sentral), and EG9420 (Segamat-Padang Besar).

In addition, the Northern KTM Komuter service on the Ipoh-Butterworth-Ipoh route was delayed by 30 minutes.

KTMB said early notifications of the disruptions were sent to passengers via SMS and KTMB’s official social media platforms.

KTMB chief operating officer Zain Mat Taha said 45 cases of cable theft have been recorded in the northern sector from January to May this year.

KTMB has announced a plan to upgrade its signalling network at a cost of RM12.8 million annually over the next three years, with a focus on hotspot areas.

They plan to install manhole covers with special locking mechanisms at 21 locations, introduce CCTV cameras and drones, and have anti-climb security fencing.

KTMB auxiliary police, with the help of police, will intensify patrols in hotspot areas to curb theft.

KTMB incurred losses of RM1.28 million last year and RM162,000 as of March this year from these cable thefts.

Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...theft-yet-again

wait till they discover the metals in the ev charging cables. u will not see a functioning charging station ever again

Let the chaos begin.

My plant also cable theft few days ago, and happened every few months

Change to fiber cable la, cannot meh.

Owaiii

There are many cases where optical fibers were also cut because they did not know he difference

Pakai Tesla coil conduct electricity wirelessly je la. Technology ini sudah wujud Zaman red alert Yuri revenge.
Owai

This post has been edited by SHERLOCK THE SOLVER: Jun 11 2025, 08:03 AM

These theft cases are just showing how tight the market is now..

So true.

So so true.

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/busines...ble-maintenance

Typertu yg curik?

time to deploy drone with gun turret

With 4G being common nowadays, about time ktmb consider updating their signalling system to wireless

there goes my KTM trip to Ipoh.

but how long to restore? I'm going there next week.

This post has been edited by Skylinestar: Jun 11 2025, 09:24 AM

Later: "KTMB delayed because thieves stole the wireless transmitter"

"200 metres of cable stolen"

That's a long heavy cable get stolen. How the hell they can OFF the power and cut?

Nowadays, recycle scrap centers don't accept cable anymore, probably of cable thief.

Cut without turning off the power

nasib baik bahagian kedah x kena curi, kalau tidak sanusi kena dah.

kahkakah

This post has been edited by letitsnow: Jun 11 2025, 10:31 AM

All burn cable to get copper and sell copper

Many case la, especially klang

Unifi also kena. peak comedy.



This post has been edited by failed.hashcheck: Jun 11 2025, 11:08 AM

janji ada cable besarrr

Is electrical transformer supply electric to taman also valuable?

Recently transformer at my area also kene angkut at night causing blackout until next day

All those rural housing estate where not much people stay, the main grill door also kena angkut..lol

low voltage cable normally pakai aluminium liao, much lower resale value compare to copper.

. Shit this sarawak disease had spread to Peninsular. This problem was so serious in Sarawak. The authiurut had to warn scrap metal shops against buying from these thiefs

pandai curi, curi minyak, curi cable, curi wang kerajaan

u know what u talking anot

NI CONFIRM X PERNAH AMIK TRAIN

tok kok je pandai

try la see 4g signal along the way

there are some spot literally no phone network

so how? let the train sendiri control sendiri?

bandwidth - NOTHING comes close to WIRED (ever!)

for a start, understand this first cukup

rail systems - MISSION CRITICAL, everything needs to be FAIL SAFE, with double triple protection, in fact there's backups for the backup (this is where wireless comes in)

telcos - best effort

Commercial charging station dik. Not low voltage at all

That because they got pay "protection", they will inform them ini hari cable lu x mau beli ya. But these cable usually once u cut and strip away the insulator, can consider as untraceable.

This is about communication/signalling cable, not power cable.

Tis' why wireless charging is the future

Oh wai

I thought they so brave cut the DC power cable.

Signal cable carried low voltage.

Ada kabel ni
Inside job

maybe current staff and ex staff cahoot together

They can cut it into smaller pieces and sell the copper only..treat as junk

Ppl say dun eat and shit at the same place
If kedeh no curik...then u know I know lo 😇
Kekekekkee

Should control the buy sell of copper wire, through registration amd submit authorities

Anyway, I forgot about the power line of the electric train ETS. I guess it is like power grid line, very high voltage that cable thieves do not dare to cut. The ETS is using 25kVac. Those using the DC voltage is only in Klang valley which is rail powered. Long power line has to be AC to reduce power loss.

Now they upgrade ad..

They cut it, sendiri melt it first, then only sell to recycle shop

Only way to do it is to close all recycling shop and centralize it with authority screening...

my grandma house can never have telephone line because it is stolen again and again.

who to these thieves sell their ill gotten gains to?
was in the scrap business before
very unclean business
every (other) day face popo come check
yes got stuff that look like it's been salvaged illegally and whenever sus this kinda items, straight away say can't
what they'll do, just hop on to the next person that buys, trust me, many will, throw price, tak beli rugi ma
wonder when will this all come to an end

You also blardi tok kok apa

You need the signals the whole railway line? No, you just need it for communications between stations, for train tracking and positioning. And all stations are located in populous area where mobile signals are present.

Plus the train line involved here is peninsular west coast route. Our west coast is the most populous area. How many places along the route would be out of signal? There is no way a repeater tower can't cover the blind spot - just need to invest money to build. With the repeated thefts and losses, the value is already more than enough to cover the building of such facility.

True, BUT with the constant and repeated thefts of cables, is it worth it or not to start investing and building an alternate and modern wireless system? 4G bandwidth nowadays exceed the capabilities of wired broadband 20 years ago, which I believe that KTMB is still utilising as of today. Plus ktmb is not sucking Gbs or Tbs for their signalling Comms anyway.

By wireless it's not just depending fully on mobile network, we still have satellite and age-tested HF radio that could serve as backup. It all falls back to whether organisations involved is willing to or worth to invest the moolah to build and move to a different system

Even then, 200m is a lot of cable. Once you cut, the signaling station will know. But KTMB's usually response time, by the time they get to us, the thieves will be long gone.

Most recycle scrap centres still accepting due to poor enforcement

I'm going to say yes, if news articles are any indication: https://www.theborneopost.com/2025/06/10/ma...co-transformer/

Yes

stole the repeater dulu

eh u think train signal same with your home wifi ka

kasi repeat repeat then jadi la

This post has been edited by DValentine: Jun 11 2025, 01:16 PM

kek andrewhtf kantoi

Must be pakatan with Anthony Loke owai.

This is too much wei!

Wah. Meaning educated thieves

May be sell as besi buruk,

Dont think anyone want to install stolen transformer to curi electric from the national grid or a 33 kv substation

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news...rvice-for-weeks

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news...folk-in-puchong

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2...ter-cable-theft

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024...ables-in-jelebu

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/true-or-not...ables-in-penang

https://www.theborneopost.com/2012/09/06/le...with-no-choice/

https://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/31/re...nt-cable-theft/

Of course it is for the scrap metal

But now your taman has no electricity

And guess who pays to replace it? The end consumer, via electricity rates.

It is far in remote area unless KTMB has post every 20km perhaps

iushhh so many cases n they are only the reported ones. This means our authority sleeping on the job.

The issue is recycling center.
Once u cut all this illegal recycling center out, then no more such shit as they cannot resell already

tembak mati on the spot saja. apa susah?

>inb4 suka main curi jer
topkek
Nearlee

So? This video doesn't say signalling cannot be done wirelessly. Even if it is needed the whole way, as I have pointed out, invest in building the wireless comm system then.

Come on lah, west peninsular train track la woi. Apa lanjiao remote?

Try look in Google maps see. All the way from KL until Padang besar, the tracks will go through towns, going alongside or even crossing major roadways.

This post has been edited by andrewhtf: Jun 11 2025, 03:20 PM

Google map looks like 1mm away lah of course WhenI said remote, it does not necessarily means in the middle of the jungle. Remote from KTMB.

Nowadays, they cut in broad daylight also nobody bother because people think they are contractor doing some work. You think KTMB got people stationed in every town or kampung along the railway?

Hence the need to consider wireless application where possible

Can't cut what's not there to cut

Anyway our msian also mostly tidak apa punya. No death no care.

People will usually slow down or even stop to watch accident even minor one, but not to help. They should apply to work as ambulance driver

It was a a response to the statement that "You need the signals the whole railway line?". Yes, the signals need to be along the whole railway line, not "just [to communicate] between the stations"

In theory it can be done wirelessly, but I'm not aware of any rail network that has done so/managed to move to wireless for connectivity for signalling.

Not to mention that the thieves will just target the wireless tower.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024...tower-equipment

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024...d-as-of-q1-2024

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025...es-nabbed-in-jb

https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/07/12/va...phone-services/

Even if they are legal recycling center, how are they going to identify which cable is stolen cable? Since in order to fetch the highest price for A1 copper (close to RM40 / kg) u need to cut then peel away the cable insulation, if not u only can get at best half the price, any sane thieve will peel or burn the insulation. Unless TNB high voltage cable then different, cause for now only they are using aluminum cable. Those large scale recycling center with license, also anyone can walk in and sell, at best they keep your car number for record, they won't take your ic also.

ECRL going to face similar issue within the first 3 months of operation.

Need to do more KYC

Like register the fella who sell, register ic

Source of the recycle material, taken from where

And that database need to be shared among all the recycling company, so that tat fella cannot go here and there recycling.

If a normal fella keep bringing in recycling material like copper in big volume, is questionable already.

Like I say, once the cable has been cut and rubber peeled off, it is virtually untraceable. No point in doing so, smart people will find somebody relatable to sell on behalf of them, one of those people are HVAC guys. Then there are also private individuals that exclusively buy "unaccounted" item, these people they deal outside, lorry or car park side to side, common places of these dealing are beside highway toll and R&R.

And u think report to "them" got use, u report, they go and take vid and pic, won't take action until all the cable had been loaded into the thieve's vehicle, because when submitting evidence they just submit maybe 10-15% of total take. The rest... They sell it to their own known associates who runs recycling business.

Las leyes son como las telarañas: las moscas pequeñas son atrapadas, pero las grandes rompen las redes.

Train delay due to cable thefts
Views
Wednesday, 02 Jul 2025

KTM Bhd deeply regrets the inconvenience and frustration the writer encountered during her June 9 journey on the Electric Train Service (ETS) from Butterworth, Penang to Kuala Lumpur Sentral (“Response defines premium service” published in StarMetro on June 14).

Please accept our sincerest apologies for the disruption and shortcomings in the service.

We understand how distressing it must have been when what should have been a smooth three-and-a-half-hour journey extended into a six-hour ordeal.

The delay on that day was caused by multiple incidents of cable theft across three key points along the northern track, severely impacting both signalling and communication systems.

While incidents like these are beyond our control, we acknowledge the impact they have on travel plans and experience.

The locations of the incidents were Tapah Road-Sungkai (KM250.5) – 200m of cable stolen; Kamunting-Bukit Merah-Bagan Serai (KM87.25) – 110m stolen; and Simpang Ampat-Bukit Mertajam (KM15.5) – 40m affected.

These acts of sabotage had widespread consequences, causing significant delays to both ETS and Komuter services.

We are actively working with the authorities to strengthen trackside security and mitigation efforts are already underway.


StarMetro article on June 14.

These include installation of special locking mechanisms at 21 manhole locations, closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance and drone monitoring, and erection of anti-climb fencing along vulnerable stretches.

As soon as an incident was detected, we activated emergency protocols and disseminated updates through official social media channels, SMS alerts and deployed extra staff to assist passengers on-site.

With regard to refreshments during delays, our current policy provides light snacks and water when delays exceed two hours, particularly before departure or at Ipoh Station where our catering base is located.

The nature and location of this delay unfortunately limited our ability to activate this service.

That said, we are relooking at ways to make this offering more consistent across routes.

As for Business Class amenities, we are continuing to enhance the passenger experience.

While the audio video on demand system does not currently support movies or music, passengers may access the Internet for entertainment.

We are also expanding pre-booked meal options to give all passengers – Business and Standard Class – more flexibility and choice when booking online.

We are also aware of the onboard Wi-Fi limitations.

The service operates on a best-effort basis, relying on external telecommunications company coverage, which may vary along the route.

That said, improving digital connectivity remains a long-term goal for KTMB.

Issues related to toilet cleanliness and overflowing waste bins are currently being addressed through a comprehensive review of contractor performance and hygiene maintenance schedules.

In parallel, repair works on escalators and lifts at KL Sentral are underway to improve accessibility and passenger convenience in a timely manner.

Once again, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank the writer for her patience and valuable feedback.

We remain committed to making ETS a safe, comfortable and dependable choice for intercity travel – one that truly reflects the aspirations of a modern, connected Malaysia.

KTM Bhd

Kuala Lumpur

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/views/2025...to-cable-thefts