Someone’s been sitting in my chair

I AM a frequent user of the electric train service, ETS Intercity, by KTM Berhad. I take it from KL Sentral to Tapah Road to Bukit Mertajam and back. I use that public transport four times a month, at the minimum. There are also times when I commute six to eight times a month using ETS.

Since a user needs to purchase a particular seat, I choose my seat carefully because I always buy the tickets early. I frequently choose the window seat for two reasons. I usually use the electric socket there, and I also love sitting inside, rather than in the aisle seat.

Since I usually take the ETS from Tapah Road, the train will be filled from Ipoh, Kampar and few other stations. There was one time where my seat had been taken by an elderly couple.

I told them nicely that that was my seat. Unfortunately, they refused to move.

I insisted on having my seat back because it was my right and also because if I had taken the empty seat, I would have had to sit with a foreign man with whom I would not have been comfortable. Furthermore, I wanted to use the socket.

I stood beside the seat which I had booked, but they still refused to give up that seat so I told the KTM Berhad staffer, who checked my ticket.

I told him that I needed his help to take my seat but surprisingly, he refused my request.

It made me so angry. In the end, I still did not get my seat since the staffer just went away and the cou- ple still insisted on not getting up from that seat. So that was the most uncomfortable journey for me.

I was very disappointed with the KTM Berhad staffer. And people, please sit according to your reserved seat.

Please be considerate when the “owner” of the seat requests it nicely. It costs you nothing to be kind and nice. Thank you.