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JOHOR BAHRU \u2013 It was a lucky coincidence for a teenager here who got to board Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd\u2019s (KTMB) Southern Express train for the first time just one day before the service ends its run.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Arif Saadan, 16, said he had always wanted to go take the train service, but never had the chance to do so before this.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy friend and I decided to ride the train to Gemas to visit our friends there. We opted for the train since its schedule fitted our plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just a coincidence, but I am thankful for it, as I may not have had the chance to ever experience being on this train if we had decided to opt for a different form of transportation,\u201d said the student when interviewed at JB Sentral in Malaysia yesterday.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Dec 29, KTMB announced that its Southern Express train service on the Gemas-JB Sentral-Gemas route, which had been operating for nine years, will be terminated from Jan 1.<\/p>\n
The move is part of an adjustment to plan and optimise passenger service operations along the southern corridor, in line with the progress and infrastructure readiness of the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrified Double Tracking Project.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Arif said he was unaware about the ceasing of the Southern Express train service.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that I know about this, I feel very lucky,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Another passenger who got the chance to ride the train before the end of the service was sales executive Benenett Sai, 31, who was heading to Kulai.<\/p>\n
\u201cI rarely use this service, but I happened to have something to do in Kulai, so I decided to take the train.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have probably only boarded this train about three times previously. And I am glad that I got to experience it before it becomes a piece of history,\u201d said Mr Sai, who works in Singapore.<\/p>\n
Factory operator P. Shalini, who also works in Singapore, said the train service had served her well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gave me the convenience of travelling to my hometown in Kluang without much hassle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started using the train since I began working in Singapore about six months ago. The train service made my life easier. I can just take the Tebrau shuttle from Singapore to here before hopping on this train to reach my hometown,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Shalini said that she plans to take the Electric Train Service (ETS) for her future trips.<\/p>\n
\u201cI opted to take this train (yesterday) simply because the schedule fits my timing perfectly.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom January onwards, I will most likely ride the ETS since this service will soon be offering more trips, allowing me to have more options to choose from,\u201d she said. THE STAR\/ASIA NEWS NETWORK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n