Seven months for Anthony Loke to bring about reforms, is it too much or cannot be done?

 

I finally felt vindicated when the Tribunal awarded me RM148 for my ETS ticket refund this morning. It was never about the amount of money, but about the principle of justice I was standing up for. While the inconvenience I experienced was bearable, it was nevertheless frustrating after several attempts to obtain a refund from KTMB were met with silence and yielded no satisfactory resolution. It is sometimes much better to bring the matter to the tribunal than to deal with unreasonable personnel within the organization.

What shocked me most was KTMB's revelation during the tribunal proceedings that the refund had supposedly been issued as points, something I was completely unaware of. Put in layman's terms, you paid for entrance into Kidzania. For some reasons, you managed to cancel the tickets, but the refund is in the form of Kidzania dollars. What can you do with Kidzania currency? Frankly, companies may include all sorts of clauses in their terms and conditions, but that does not automatically make them fair to consumers. You have to be aware that the Consumers' Tribunal exists precisely to safeguard consumer rights. You should not be bullied by any organisation which has clauses that are unfair towards you as a consumer, for example, KTMB's six-month refund period was dismissed. The most the tribunal agreed to was to revise his award from 2 weeks to one month, which I also agreed with. The award also meant that if KTMB still insists to follow their policy of refunding within six months, I can file a complaint to the Chief of Enforcement at the Tribunal's office for KTMB's Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer to be charged in court. The law provides a prison term as well for failing to settle the payment or refund set by the Tribunal.

Although KTMB argued that the refund in points was in accordance with its terms and conditions, the Tribunal rejected that defence and ordered the refund for my return ETS tickets between Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur to be paid directly into my bank account. Since I had purchased the tickets using Boost, with the funds ultimately coming from my Maybank account, I believe I had every right as a consumer to insist that the refund be returned to the original source of payment. I can then decide what to do with my money. It should not be redirected into any alternative form of credit or account unilaterally chosen by KTMB.

The outcome reaffirmed an important principle: businesses cannot simply rely on their own terms and conditions when those terms operate unfairly against consumers. In this case, the Tribunal recognised that right and delivered a fair and just resolution.

Fix the system

The second reason why I pursued this is to make sure that once I win my award, the Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke should start reforming the public transport system in Malaysia, including those terms and conditions that are not cuctomer-centric but siding to KTMB. 

Its ticketing system also needs to be revamped. For example, after registering myself and providing evidence from my IC scanned and uploaded into the system, my account is already verified as belonging to a senior citizen; therefore, any tickets that I purchase for my own travelling by ticking "I am travelling myself" should provide a little more explanation staying that "this senior citizen ticket cannot be used by a third party". Or, if you fail to check this box, you will not be entitled to senior citizen's discount. 

KTMB's e-ticketing must also take into consideration different scenarios where the senior citizen is staying a few hundred kilometers away from her son who may be purchasing the ticket of her behalf. Under such circumstances, the purchaser should be allowed to tick on a box to say, 

"I am purchasing on behalf of a senior citizen, whose name is __________ and IC No. __________."

(This ticket is entitled to a senior citizen discount. If the ticket is found to be used by a person who is not the named senior citizen, whether related or otherwise, a penalty of no less than the amount of the discount granted may be imposed.)

Even today, KTMB's e-ticketing system requires customers to tick a box stating, "I am travelling myself." This wording is confusing and counterintuitive. To most reasonable consumers, purchasing a ticket generally implies that the purchaser intends to use it for his or her own travel. The statement does not clearly communicate that failure to tick the box will result in the loss of eligibility for a senior citizen discount or affect the processing of the ticket in any way.

If checking the box is a mandatory condition for obtaining a senior citizen fare, then this should be expressly and prominently stated. Consumers should not be expected to infer a significant consequence from vague wording. A simple and clear statement such as, "Please tick this box to verify that the ticket is for the registered senior citizen and to qualify for the senior citizen discount" would eliminate ambiguity and prevent unnecessary disputes. Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that important terms are communicated clearly and transparently, particularly where they affect consumers' rights or financial entitlements. You cannot simply use a short sentence like "I am travelling myself" to then claim that you bought the tickets for the Adult price, instead of giving a discount of 50% for senior citizens.

Customer experience is equally important. Customer service officers are the front line of any organisation and often shape the public's perception of the company. When a customer raises a legitimate concern, the first response should be to understand and resolve the issue rather than to hide behind technicalities or rely solely on the company's terms and conditions.

Every unresolved complaint has the potential to be shared with many others through personal conversations, online reviews, and social media. What begins as a single customer grievance can quickly become a reputational issue. While policies and terms are necessary, a rigid and inflexible reliance on them, especially when they lead to unfair or unreasonable outcomes, can create the impression that the organisation is detached from the realities faced by its customers. I told the Tribunal I was angry when I heard the explanation by one of KTMB's customer service personnel that the clauses are already enshrined (he used the word 'termaktub' meaning engraved) in the company's Terms and Conditions. 

In today's customer-centric environment, successful companies are those that combine compliance with common sense, empathy, and fairness. Organisations that continue to operate with an outdated "the terms and conditions say so" mindset risk being perceived as bureaucratic and unresponsive. Long-term success depends not only on enforcing rules but also on earning and maintaining customers' trust. KTMB, like all modern service providers, must evolve with changing consumer expectations and embrace a culture that prioritises fairness, transparency, and effective problem resolution.

For this reason, Anthony Loke, as Minister of Transport, cannot afford to remain indifferent or delay much-needed reforms. After all, he was one of the first to know about the issues and my suggestions on how to improve the system so that it will not affect other customers. If not, my encouragement to all is to bring KTMB to the Tribunal.

For this reason, Anthony Loke, as Minister of Transport, cannot afford to remain indifferent or delay much-needed reforms. I have given him an additional month, bringing the total period to seven months, to ensure that meaningful changes are implemented within KTMB, not only in its systems and processes but also in its organisational culture and mindset, particularly at the senior management level.

From my experience, many of the younger staff members are far more understanding, approachable, and willing to assist customers in finding practical solutions. The problem appears to lie not with the frontline personnel, but with entrenched attitudes higher up the hierarchy, where rigid adherence to procedures often takes precedence over fairness, common sense, and customer satisfaction.

The responsibility now rests squarely on the Minister to ensure that KTMB evolves into a modern, customer-centric organisation. This requires more than superficial adjustments; it requires a willingness to address bureaucratic obstacles and remove the "Little Napoleon" mentality that can hinder accountability, innovation, and responsiveness. Public service providers exist to serve the public, not to force consumers into unnecessary battles for what is rightfully theirs.

If KTMB is serious about regaining and maintaining public trust, reform must begin from the top. Systems can be upgraded, but unless there is a corresponding change in leadership mindset and organisational culture, the same problems will continue to surface, leaving consumers frustrated and disillusioned.

From my experience, many of the younger staff members are far more understanding, approachable, and willing to assist customers in finding practical solutions. The problem appears to lie not with the frontline personnel, but with entrenched attitudes higher up the hierarchy, where rigid adherence to procedures often takes precedence over fairness, common sense, and customer satisfaction.

If KTMB is serious about regaining and maintaining public trust, reform must begin from the top. Systems can be upgraded, but unless there is a corresponding change in leadership mindset and organisational culture, the same problems will continue to surface, leaving consumers frustrated and disillusioned.

WATCH this : https://come-to-senses.blogspot.com/2026/06/watch-this-movie.html

Note to editors, please do not use this blog article, which I prefer to keep within a smaller circle of friends.