KUALA LUMPUR — Transport Minister Anthony Loke today ordered the “maximum” punitive action against Prasarana Malaysia Bhd following the derailment of an LRT train near Chan Sow Lin station, warning that no member of the rail operator’s top management would be spared accountability over the incident.

Describing the derailment on the Ampang–Sri Petaling Line as a “very serious incident”, Loke said the government would not treat the matter as a routine service disruption because of the potential safety risks posed to passengers and staff.

“I have also directed the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) to take the maximum punitive action against Prasarana Malaysia Bhd over this incident,” he said in a statement today.

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is the state-owned public transport operator that runs the Klang Valley’s LRT, MRT and Monorail rail networks, as well as Rapid KL bus services.

He added that APAD had immediately opened an investigation paper into the incident.

Loke said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) had also set up a special task force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the derailment, adding that he had instructed for the findings to be presented to the Cabinet as soon as possible and released publicly.

“I wish to stress that Prasarana’s board of directors and management team cannot continue with a ‘business-as-usual’ attitude,” he said.

“Incidents such as this must be taken seriously, and no one in Prasarana’s top management will be exempt from accountability in this incident.”