Shabby station

Windows and the ceiling are broken and unkept.

THE once majestic Ipoh Railway Station on Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang is in desperate need of attention. Grand plans to redevelop it and the surrounding areas appear to have stalled.

Commuters arriving via KTM Bhd’s Electric Train Service (ETS) at the station in Perak’s capital city of Ipoh are greeted by a gloomy sight of broken ceiling panels, dirty floors, filthy toilets and fans, and bird droppings in many spots.

Overall cleanliness is very poor, and parts of its grounds have also been turned into illegal dumpsites.

Herman Iskandar Dzulkarnain Shuhaimi, 42, who often takes the ETS from Ipoh to visit his parents in Selangor, said the facilities at the station should be as well-maintained as the ones on the trains.

“On the train, the toilets and surau are clean and comfortable while facilities at the station, especially the toilet, are in dire need of an upgrade.

“The ceiling and fans on the wall are covered with thick dust,” he said.

“One time, they did clean the fans but it was only when the matter had gone viral on social media. Now, the fans are covered with dust again and no one seems to be cleaning them,” he noted.

“Bird droppings are also everywhere. Cleanliness of the station should always be a priority.”

He said the state government should be doing more to improve the condition of the station.

Herman Iskandar said Perak government should also work on the limited parking bays and the traffic jam just outside the station.

“There were several times I almost missed my train because of the traffic congestion at the station,” he added.

Entrepreneur Farah Ahmad, 27, described the station as scary.

“Anyone who has ever been there will understand.

“The toilet is located far from public sight, so it would be my last resort to go there,” she said.

Overall, the condition of the station was horrible, she said, pointing to the numerous bird droppings and terrible stench of urine in parts of the station.

Piles of rubbish have also been dumped at several areas in the parking compound, and puddles form along the corridors when it rains.

Farah was also concerned about the safety aspect at the station.

“Safety is another issue that needs to be addressed. There are trains that arrive at the station after midnight.

“I once waited until 1am for my friend to pick me up.

“Although there are policemen, there are not enough of them. So, I still feel unsafe sometimes.

“It is unlike KL Sentral where there is lots of movement, bright lights and open shops,” she added.

Farah, who often takes the train to go to Kuala Lumpur, would love to see more shops at the Ipoh Railway Station.

“The station is quite big. I think it will be great if traders are allowed to open shops selling snacks or souvenirs.

“A lot of people are now taking the train, so the station’s facilities need to be upgraded,” she said.

“Perhaps during the major festivals, the management can decorate the area as well,” she suggested.

Another regular commuter, self-employed Kelly Teh, 30, also felt that more booths selling food should be available at the station.

“While passengers wait for their trains to arrive, we have limited choice of snacks. I hope there will be more local food available at the station, as that will help to promote Ipoh to travellers visiting the city.

“Apart from that, the authorities need to improve the traffic flow outside the station.

“If you are there to pick up a passenger and they have not arrived, you need to continue driving and make a big circle to come back to the station.

“There should be a lane or space for us to wait, it will be more convenient,” said Teh. A retiree, who wished to be known only as Sim, 67, hopes for more facilities that are friendly to the elderly and the disabled.

“A few years ago, the escalator near the train tracks did not work and we had no choice but to take the stairs.

“My late wife was with me back then and both of us struggled to walk up the stairs because of our knee problem. Fortunately for us, there were some kind passengers who helped carry our bags,” he said.

Sim said the metal benches in the waiting area should also be replaced.

“These are quite uncomfortable to sit on. There is no backrest and the seats are often dirty,” he said.

“I feel that the station needs major upgrades.

“The state government wants more tourists to come to Ipoh, but looking at the condition of the station, it is a shame that tourists are seeing this side of Ipoh.

“The building is very beautiful with great architecture. Why can’t something be done about the environment at the station?” he added.

Majestic building

The railway station was once known as the Taj Mahal of Ipoh thanks to its British Raj-style facade that included Moorish domes, turrets and verandahs.

It was designed by architect AB Hubback, who was behind many iconic buildings in the country such as Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur, Carcosa Seri Negara, Galeri Diraja Sultan Abdul Aziz in Klang, Kuala Kangsar’s Ubudiah Mosque, the Ipoh Town Hall building and the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station.

Construction of the Ipoh Railway Station took four years and was completed in 1917.

The adjoining Majestic Station Hotel took a while longer to build, and it opened in 1935. However, the hotel has not been operational since 2011.

In 2019, then and current Transport Minister Anthony Loke had announced a RM5bil integrated development project that would be carried out at the railway station and its surrounding areas.

The project had been planned for a 78ha site, as a joint venture between Perak government’s Mentri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc) and Railway Assets Corporation (RAC).

It encompasses the development of housing areas, hotels, educational institutions, commercial buildings as well as a green lung, and will take between 10 and 15 years to be completed.For the Majestic Station Hotel, RAC, which owns the hotel and Ipoh station, signed a 30-year agreement with Majujaya Hebat Sdn Bhd in January 2020.

According to reports, Majujaya Hebat was to redevelop the hotel in two phases at an estimated cost of RM108.3mil.

This included a 12-month renovation and refurbishment costing RM15mil to restart operations of the hotel, which would be renamed as Grand Majestic Hotel.

It is slated to reopen this year.

In September 2022, Transport Ministry had reiterated that the Federal Government, through RAC and Perak State Secretary Corporation (SSI), was committed to the integrated development project that would improve the public transport system in Ipoh.

However, since then, there has been no further news concerning the multibillion ringgit project.

When contacted by StarMetro, Perak infrastructure, energy, water and public transportation committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said a meeting would be held soon with KTM to discuss the condition of the station.

“Apart from meeting with KTM, I will also visit the station to check on the state of amenities and the poor condition at the premises.

“Hopefully, from there, we can further improve the station to provide a more comfortable experience for both locals and visitors,” he said.

On the integrated development project, Mohammad Nizar said he would meet with Loke to discuss the mattter.

“The meeting will be conducted soon and it is among my priority to ensure Perakians and tourists have a more comfortable experience when using the public transport system here,” he said.