i must congratulate KTM Berhad for their initiatives of introducing the Ladies' Coach for KTM Komuter services, which started the operation in April last year...to tell you the truth, i have not been using its services for quite some time now, but i'm glad that this effort benefits many ladies out there who use KTM Komuter as their main public transport, to ensure a comfortable and safe journey and reducing the risk of sexual harassment in a congested environment..unfortunately, many are still unaware about this privilege are for ladies and boys below the age of 12, accompanied by a female guardian/relative...why is this so..?
my dear husband had such experience when he boarded the KTM Komuter some time last year from Bandar Tasik Selatan to KL Sentral for a seminar (after so many years not using it services)... it was at peak hours...the station was sardine-packed with passengers who waited to board the commuter...obviously, you can't even see the area where the ground is painted in pink, stating that's the area where the Ladies' Coach would have stopped...when the commuter arrived, the door opened and everybody rushed to the coach..and my husband just followed the crowd...when he was inside the coach, then he realized that he was in the Ladies' Coach..and all ladies were looking at him and few other foreigner men who was together in that coach...there were voices expressing their dissatisfaction and frustration with these selfish men on board...(they thought my husband was a foreigner as well, by looking at his look...so they thought my husband couldn't understand Malay)...
yes, my husband felt embarrassed and got off the Ladies' Coach at the next station and hopped on to the adjacent coach, which was the normal coach...the other foreigners remain on the Ladies' Coach..
according to my husband, pity him that he didn't know that that was the Ladies' Coach...he couldn't see the special stickers attached on the door, which was obviously hidden when the door opened to let the passengers in and out..and that particular commuter he boarded did not paint an extraordinary colour for the Ladies' Coach, thus making a "first timer" like him unaware and confused about the special coach...KTM Berhad also claimed they have special pink poles and banners at the designated area at the station, but that was not clearly visible during peak hours...
i agree that some men are just being ignorance and become the opportunists here, enjoying their ride in the Ladies' Coach because it is less packed and more comfortable...hopefully, KTM Berhad will make the Ladies' Coach more significant from afar, to create less confusion among the passengers...and to men out there, please make yourself aware of this special privilege and put them into practical...and my dear hubby, he will never board the commuter again... ; )
