Senior Citizen’s Viral Plea Highlights KTMB’s Cashless Problems
A video made by an elderly woman named Shamiela Jane is gaining attention on social media recently after she shared a troubling encounter at the KL Sentral LRT station, highlighting the lack of inclusive payment options for train tickets.
In the video, Shamiela recounts how she was approached by a young man who asked if she had a bank card. Suspicious at first, she questioned his intentions. The young man explained that he only had RM3 in cash and couldn’t buy a train ticket because the KTMB ticket machine at the station no longer accepted cash payments — only bank cards or Touch ‘n Go cards.
Trying to help, Shamiela brought the young man to the ticket counter, hoping for a solution. However, a staff there informed her that without a bank card or a working Touch ‘n Go card, a ticket simply could not be issued.
She claimed the staff behind the counter responded curtly when she mentioned escalating the matter to KTMB, telling her “Go, go and lodge a complaint lah.”
Shamiela expressed her disappointment in the service and asked “Is that how you talk to customers?”.
In the end, Shamiela used her own bank card to buy the young man a ticket, but not before deciding to publicly raise the issue.
Netizens share their opinions on KTMB
Shamiela’s story is resonating with many online, who say the current cashless-only system creates barriers for low-income individuals, the elderly, and others who may not have access to digital payment methods.
A few TikTok users commented on the cons of cashless payments, such as when online systems are down, disabling card transactions altogether.
One user highlighted that there are many senior citizens who don’t own bank cards, and still use cash on a daily basis.
Some brought up the sorry state of KTMB stations, saying they are not aesthetically pleasing anymore, with many unmanned counters and unintuitive systems.
Shamiela then explained that she is not just highlighting the issue to encourage people to help others in need, but mainly to address the payment option issue to KTMB.
“What about people who don’t have bank cards or Touch ‘n Go? Can you all come up with an alternative solution? For example, MyRAPID is using our IC to do transactions. Why can’t KTMB do the same?,” she said.
As the video continues to circulate on social media, the public awaits a response from KTMB and the transport ministry on whether more inclusive payment options will be reinstated.
