Sayonara" Ekspres Selatan: Former KTMB Staff Bids To Be Last Passenger

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- The Ekspres Selatan made its final departure from JB Sentral Station at 6.05 pm, bidding farewell with the roar of its locomotives, blare of horns and rumble of carriages as it brought nine years of service to a close.

Carrying 170 passengers, the train concluded its journey ahead of its scheduled arrival at Gemas Station at 10.47 pm.

Bidding farewell to the train, formerly known as the Southern Shuttle, was an emotional moment for passengers as well as staff and former staff who had devoted themselves to the service, including 62-year-old Halim Said.

The former Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) staff member, now residing in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, together with his wife, Noor Aini Semawi, 52, bought tickets to travel from Gemas to JB Sentral this morning just to be back in time for the last train at 6.05 pm.

Halim said that their sole intention was to be the last passengers on the train.

“I want to set a record and be the final passenger to get off this ES46 train,” he said.

Halim, who began his career in the railway service in 1986 as a traffic assistant at KTMB Gemas Station, served in various positions over the years, including quality inspector, before retiring in 2023.

He said that while the transition from diesel locomotives to modern self-powered train sets was a step forward, the charm of the traditional train remained deeply nostalgic.

“Previously, carriages relied entirely on diesel locomotives to move. Now, everything is computerised and more comfortable. We are pleased with the progress, yet we still hold on to the memories,” he said.

This was not the first time Halim had made personal history with the rails. On June 30, 2011, he was also the last passenger on a train from Tanjong Pagar, Singapore, to Malaysia, marking the closure of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station after almost 80 years of service.

“I stood at the back of the locomotive, from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands, waving my hands throughout the journey. 

“My kids grew up on what I earned working in the railway. It really changed my life from not working to being able to support a family,” said the father of five daughters.

Meanwhile, locomotive driver Suki Hussein, 57, said he was filled with mixed feelings and would surely miss all the memories of operating the classic train.

“I feel sad, yet I am also proud that KTMB has taken a step forward by introducing more modern and comfortable trains,” he said.

The final send-off of the train was officiated by KTMB Southern Region Senior Manager Salim Misdi, marking the symbolic end of the Ekspres Selatan service, which had served passengers in the south, recording 2.6 million users as of last October.

“After this, there will be no more sound of diesel locomotives. I believe we are moving towards better services. Though these memories are hard to forget, we should believe in this change,” he said.

KTMB had previously announced that the operation of the Ekspres Selatan train service on the Gemas–JB Sentral–Gemas route would be terminated, effective tomorrow, in line with progress and the infrastructure readiness of the Gemas–Johor Bahru Electrified Double-Tracking Project.

--BERNAMA