Yesterday (20th January 2011), I went to Batu Cave to celebrate Thaipusam with my family. First, we decided to go there by car but then changed our mind to use public transport as reports anticipated massive traffic jams ahead. So, we took train from Subang Jaya to Batu Cave which costs us RM 2.30 per person. I requested for two-way ticket but the staff told me that it is not available and it puzzled me. At least we thought there will be special service for Thaipusam like every year but we were wrong. KTMB prepared the normal 3 coach Komuter to Batu Cave. The moment the train arrived, we were shocked. This is because, the train was full of Indian devotees whose destination is Batu Cave. Since there was no special service, other passengers were also in the same train. So, we ended up standing from Subang Jaya till Batu Caves. That’s not a problem. We thought the special train from Sentul provided by KTMB every year for Thaipusam is still there but again, we were wrong. The special train, which can accommodate more people, were not provided anymore. So, more people entered the Komuter. Finally, we arrived at Batu Cave. After completing my prayers, I went back to the Batu Cave station. There, I was told that the ticket counter was at the first floor instead of ground floor. After a hard time climbing up the stairs in the crowd, then, I got shocked again. There were only a few counters opened to sell the tickets. So, we moved to the ticketing machine, but there were only three machines provided. There were hundreds of people queued to buy the ticket and after buying the ticket, I was shocked again because the price were increased by RM1.00 per person to RM3.30 and after I bought the tickets we have to go through the massive crowd again and then go down the stairs to the platform again. The problem was far from over. There staircase was full of people, so I took the escalator to go down. Halfway down and then I realized that there was no space to stand down there and I tried to walk back up but there were people behind me too. Then, we tripped and fell when we reached at the bottom. Why, wasn’t the escalator switched off and why the arrangement of the ticket counter is not placed in a systematic manner so, that people will move in a smooth flow? The KTMB officers treated us as we are cows and goats. We weren’t treated as human beings at all. Then, after a few minutes, we managed to get into the Komuter again. We were relieved as we entered a train but the feeling was not for long because we entered the train, we found that that the train doesn’t have any handle for us to grab to stabilize ourselves when the train moves. Furthermore, the train driver locomoted the like a Ferrari. He definitely didn’t think about us passengers who were standing without a strap to hold on to. When, the train reached the next station, there was some burning smell in the coach. All of us thought that the smell was from outside but each time the train stopped, the smell appeared again. A few stations after that, we reached KL Station. The door was kept open for about fifteen minutes and we were still standing in the train without any announcement being made by the staff. Then, we heard someone blew the microphone. Then, came the announcement that told us that the train broke down and we have to get down and proceed to another platform which was at the other side. The time now was 5.50pm and it was raining cats and dogs out there. There were quite a number of Europeans in the train and they shook their heads. As I was walking to the other platform, I noticed one of our famous national ‘architecture design’, the leaking roof. I spotted at least five spots with water leaking from the roof as I walk to the other platform. Believe it or not, the Europeans laughed at it. We thought KTMB will replace another train to compensate the spoiled train and again we were wrong. We have to wait for the next train to arrive, and when it finally arrived after more than 20 minutes, the train was pack like a sandwich and it was the train from Batu Cave. How can we board the train? All of us just stared at the train but however, 7 people managed to squeeze into the packed Komuter. The European man who stood beside me told that he will never ever visit Malaysia again in his life. He also told me that he also will not recommend Malaysia to his friends there. So, ‘thanks’ to KTMB for your ‘excellent’ service. ‘Kudos’ to KTMB for spoiling Malaysia’s reputation. Our prime minister earlier announced that Cable Car will be built at Batu Cave. I suggest that we should use the money to improve our public transport. We may have KLCC, but the foreigners will not be impressed by that because they are ahead of us in infrastructures. We can only impress them with our hospitality by providing them the best service. Coming back to the ‘wonderful day’, after an hour waiting to board a train finally we decided that we have to squeeze in the next train or risking spending our whole day there. This is because, all the train that arrived earlier was packed as it is coming from Batu Caves. Another Komuter came and this time, we managed to squeeze in the train but the problem was far from over. The air conditioner was not working. I thought it may be due to the overloaded passengers in the train but a man told me that the air conditioner was not working from Batu Caves itself and he also told me that most of the Komuter was like that. After going through many problems, earlier the air-cond doesn’t seem like a big deal from me. Another lady who stood beside me in the train told me that two ladies fainted earlier in the Komuter due to the heat. She helped them and missed the train. As she was telling her story, the train reached the next station. Again, I was surprised. This time by the malfunctioned Komuter door. Some of the passengers can’t get down and they shouted to stop the train but it was too late. I knocked the Komuter driver’s door. A KTMB staff opened the door and rudely shouted to us “ air-cond rosak, pintu rosak!” and banged the door. Did we pay money to stand in a packed train without any handle and treated like animals? Is this our fate to born and discriminated in Malaysia? I also wondered how the passengers can exit the train in case of an emergency. Not only that, there’s a sign of the fire extinguisher but it’s not there. So, I guess we will be trapped in the train without a fire extinguisher in case if there’s a fire. After we all burned to death, then only the authority will start to take action. I think we still haven’t learnt anything even after the terrible bus accidents which happens every year without fail. Finally, our epic journey ends at 8pm after I got down at Subang Jaya station after starting my journey from Batu Caves at 5pm. I pitied the others who have to travel till the last station. So, ‘thanks’ again to KTMB for the ‘excellent’ service provided to us and ruined our auspicious day. Not only it was expensive to ride, but it was also ‘as fast as lightning’ and ‘hassle-free’.