OPERATORS of the MRT line need to seriously consider methods to enforce the women-only coach rule to avoid it being an exercise in lip service.
The introduction of the pink-coloured carriages on various MRT lines which are reserved exclusively for female passengers was seen as a positive move to safeguard them especially during sardine-packed peak-hour train rides.
However, a recent TikTok video posted by @itsrafaaa highlights the continued lack of understanding among certain individuals regarding a basic rule. In the clip, a male passenger ignores a polite request for him to vacate his seat in the women-only coach before feigning a phone call to further disregard the lady’s appeal.
@vanakkammalaysiaMan refused to leave ladies MRT coach; netizens condemn #latest #vanakkammalaysia #Man #refused #leave #ladies #MRT #coach #netizens #condemn #trendingnewsmalaysia #malaysiatamilnews #fyp #vmnews #foryoupage♬ original sound – Vanakkam Malaysia
She also said that there was no security available when trying to find them for assistance in dealing with the man.
Following this, RapidKL issued an apology to the poster in the comments section of her post.
“Apologies for your recent MRT experience. Please notify us immediately if it occurs again so we can address the situation and prevent future incidents,” it said.
Responding to the comment, @itsrafaaa stated: “I had notified the person in charge, but I was told that security was unavailable (at the time) and there was nothing to be done.”
According to the New Straits Times, the video which garnered more than 850,000 views has sparked outrage on social media, with many users condemning the man’s behaviour and expressing support for @itsrafaa’s attempt to address the issue.
“Too many men in women’s coach lately and the fact that Rapid does nothing to solve this pisses me off. DO BETTER @Rapid KL,” said user @urlbeu.
“It is just a simple rule. It’s a WOMEN’S COACH, why is it so hard for guys to respect and give space to women? There are plenty of other coaches,” said another user, @MarsyaHasnah.
In a previous incident it needed a knight in a Food Panda armour to take it upon himself to chase away such rule flouters from a ladies-only MRT coach, earning plenty of praise from netizens. Again, only an apology was issued by the operators with little concrete suggestions on improving the commuting experience of female passengers.
Come on Rapid KL, the ball is firmly in your court. Don’t let the good intentions remain just that. Firm action is required to improve the comfort and peace of mind of your female commuters. Please do something, as stated by the insolent male passenger captured in the video!
Perhaps Rapid KL can start with educational videos on trains and stations stating that the pink carriages are for ladies only, followed by video clips, like the one above, naming and shaming such rude rule flouters. – Nov 10, 2023
Main photo credit: The Edge Markets
