KTMB has implemented 'Ladies only' coaches for its commuter service. On the surface, it may look as like KTMB is being very compassionate and caring towards the fairer sex. Consequently, some people have given the thumbs-up for this kind gesture by KTMB without perhaps fully knowing the current service level provided by them.

What is very glaring and needs urgent attention at this time are the frequent delays and cancellation of scheduled KTM Komuter train services especially during the peak hours. Thus this new ‘Ladies coach’ implementation is seen as evading the core issues and diverting the people's attention towards something not so urgent and also viewed as trivial at this juncture.

Just look at this scenario when the Komuter service is abruptly cancelled when the commuters are waiting to go to work or return home after a hard day's of toiling. The station is then congested with commuters and the sole intention of everyone there is to get to work on time or to go home to spend some time with the family, have a good bath and meal.

Then a train - after about 30 to 40 minutes - comes by with segregated coaches. With the ladies making up 60 percent of commuters as claimed by KTMB, they will soon have no more space in their allotted coach and so what do you think the ladies will do?

They will clamour and push into any space available in the train irrespective of whose area it is so as to get home soonest possible. It does not matter if body odour is to be endured for the distance it takes to reach the destination.

So KTMB, with the implementation of the 'Ladies only' coaches, you are only going to aggravate the situation if no effort is made to do away with the abrupt cancellations during peak hours. Of course, we understand there are unavoidable circumstances that may result in cancellations but this should be the exception not the norm.

Another core issue are the frequent delays for one reason or the other and commuters turning up late for work are seen to be quite a common occurrence. How is KTMB going to cope with these delays? What is your ‘on time’ arrival statistics? Is it also 60 percent?

So my earnest request to KTMB is to give urgent attention to these important matters before leapfrogging to segregate the sexes.

If the Komuter service is at a satisfactory level, then I think there is no necessity to implement this ridiculous and outdated ruling which is not a good sign for a nation aiming to reach developed status by 2020.

I am a periodic user of the Komuter service provided by KTMB and have personally experienced the much to be desired services from KTMB and I really sympathise with those commuters who have to use it daily and endure the pain and torture almost daily as they have no other choice.

Wake up, KTMB to the reality that your services are badly in need of changes as a lot of people depend on their efficiency. Do not divert our attention.