81 RAPID KL COMMUTERS CHEAT THEIR WAY TO DISCOUNTS

Rapid KL clamps down on those abusing concession cards to pay less

SCORES of commuters using Rapid KL services have been cheating the system to pay only half of what they should. In just two days, 81 commuters were caught red-handed for abusing the public transportation system company’s concession cards, that offer a 50 per cent discount only to the disabled, senior citizens and students.

Most of those red-flagged by the personnel had to own up that they had been using the privilege card that were applied for under their children’s name.

Rapid KL is on a campaign to end the abuse of these cards and has stationed its personnel at strategic places to carry out more checks on those abusing them for its rail and buses services.

Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Ir Zohari Sulaiman said of the 81 concession cards seized, mostly from able-bodied, white-collar adults, 48 of them belonged to students, senior citizens (31) and the handicapped (2).

“We found out that cards issued to students are being used by their family members to commute to work daily,” he said.

There were also cases, he added, where senior citizens gave up their concession cards to their family members for them to enjoy the 50 per cent discount benefit.

The Rapid KL team believes that this is just the tip of the iceberg, ramping up operations to smoke them out.

Its personnel would be monitoring the gates at its station as well as in their trains and buses to check the validity of commuters’ cards.

Owner of the cards, he said, would be blacklisted and they would not be able to apply for other concession cards, if theirs were seized in the operation.

The concession card, which comes with a serial number and bears the picture of its user, is non-transferable.

The company’s website says, senior citizens aged 60 and above, are entitled to apply for the concession cards while primary to university students are also entitled to the privilege.

For the handicapped, they must be registered with the Social Welfare Department to be eligible.

It is learnt that the company is still analysing the losses incurred from the abuse of the cards.

Those wishing to report on any abuse of tickets, can contact Rapid KL’s customer service at 03-7885 2585, or contact their team through Rapid KL’s social media.