Complaint on Failure to Apply Senior Citizen Concession Despite Presentation of MyKad - KTMB

 

 Request for Goodwill Remedy and System/Training Improvement

 

Dear KTMB Customer Service Team,

I am writing to formally complain about an incident that occurred when my son purchased ETS/Intercity train tickets for my wife and me at a ticket counter in Kuala Lumpur station for travel from Butterworth to KL Sentral.

 

My son provided our original MyKad (Identity Cards) when requested by the counter staff. At the time, I was 73 years old and my wife 71 and fully qualify for the Senior Citizen (Warga Emas) concession — 50% discount on adult fare for all classes except Business Class (20% discount), as stated in the latest KTMB Terms and Conditions (September 2025). The official policy clearly states that concession registration for senior citizens is available at any ticket counter with immediate approval upon presenting the original MyKad, and staff are supposed to handle the verification and registration on the spot for Malaysian citizens aged 60 and above. Once registered (valid for 3 years, renewable), the discount applies automatically on future bookings.

However, the counter staff issued the tickets at the full adult fare without registering or applying the concession. When I later raised this matter with the Station Master at Butterworth station (approximately 1 hour 40 minutes before departure), he brushed it off and said a refund or adjustment could only be processed if requested at least 2 hours before departure. This was not a standard cancellation request — it was a clear staff oversight on a concession that should have been handled immediately when the MyKads (Identity Cards) were presented.

This experience highlights a serious accessibility gap in KTMB's current system and processes:

The ticketing system does not auto-detect age or automatically apply the senior concession from an unregistered MyKad. Staff must actively register or select the concession.

While the official terms promise immediate counter registration for seniors, in practice busy counters, absent-minded, or insufficiently trained staff often result in such slips.

Many senior citizens in Malaysia — especially those who are less educated, from rural areas, not tech-savvy, or travelling without family help — are unaware of the exact registration requirement or the need to explicitly request "konsesi warga emas". They rely entirely on counter staff to assist them when they hand over their MyKad. Placing the full onus on passengers is unfair and unacceptable for this vulnerable group.

 

With so many unemployed or underemployed graduates in the country, "untrained staff" or "busy counters" should not be an excuse. KTMB, as a government-linked company, has a responsibility to train counter staff to proactively offer and process senior registration whenever a MyKad is presented by an elderly passenger (for example, a simple system prompt: “Encik/Puan warga emas? Boleh daftar konsesi sekarang — kelulusan segera”).

I kindly request:

A goodwill refund for the fare difference on the tickets in question (please refer to the ticket details below).

A review of staff training procedures to ensure proactive handling of senior concessions at counters.

Consideration of system improvements, such as an automatic flag/prompt when a senior MyKad is scanned at the counter, to reduce human error and better serve ordinary seniors.

 

I will register the concession at a counter so future trips are smoother, but this should not be necessary for every unaware senior.

Ticket details:  K260308733617** T260329126434 (Luqman Michel

                          :K260308733617** T260342219679 (SitiMariam)

 

Counter: KLSGDPOS02- 303245NO

Travel date: 25.03.2026 (10 am)

Route: Butterworth to KL Sentral 

Passengers: Luqman Michel & Siti Mariam

Attached: Credit Card Transaction Receipt

 

I look forward to your prompt reply within the next 7–10 days. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I will escalate this matter to the Minister of Transport, YB Anthony Loke, as it affects many senior citizens who deserve better service from KTMB.

Thank you for your attention.

Best regards,

Luqman Michel

IC Number: 520404055139

Email: luqmanmichel@gmail.com