KUALA LUMPUR – Police have detained three suspected vandals linked to a series of cable thefts that disrupted KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit services – and believe a bigger group may be behind the alleged act of sabotage.
“We have identified three suspects in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi. They are currently under investigation, and we are keen to determine their motive behind this act,” Sepang police deputy chief Shan Gopal Krishnan told Scoop.
“Based on our checks, several signal link cables were allegedly cut by the suspects. Our latest investigation indicates that a larger group – possibly a team of five to six individuals – may have been involved in planning this incident.
“For now, we have detained these three suspects, and we expect to make further arrests in the coming days.”
The trio is being investigated under Sections 431A and 447 of the Penal Code. If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to RM3,000, or both.
The damage, which affected multiple locations including the ERL Air Control Centre at KM48.5 near Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, has so far been estimated at RM12,000 for that particular control centre.
However, industry experts, when contacted by Scoop, estimated that the damages could reach over RM1 million considering the loss of revenue, repair costs, and manpower costs, among others.
Meanwhile, in a response to Scoop, an ERL representative revealed that the vandals had “exploited a loophole” in their security system.
“The thief exploited a loophole and closely monitored our security movements. The individuals involved in these acts meticulously observed our security procedures and took advantage of a specific vulnerability within the system,” the spokesperson said.
“Our immediate priority is to restore operations; the damage assessment will follow. We are doubling surveillance at the affected site and other hotspots, while simultaneously working on a permanent, sustainable solution.”
Although such incidents are rare, the scale and frequency of this week’s attacks have prompted ERL to implement emergency shuttle services between KLIA and key stations, including Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya-Cyberjaya, and KL Sentral. These are running every 20 minutes while repairs are ongoing.
Authorities and ERL are continuing investigations and damage assessments, and commuters are advised to plan their journeys accordingly.
Police also confirmed they received an official report from an ERL officer this morning and are urging the public to come forward with any relevant information. The investigating officer can be contacted at 011-11739477.
Earlier today, ERL had confirmed that the fourth and latest act of vandalism took place around 5.20am today at KM40.6 between Salak Tinggi and Putrajaya-Cyberjaya stations – just hours after three previous incidents were recorded within a 24-hour span.
The first cable theft was detected at 6.20am yesterday at KM48.5, followed by another at KM43.1 around 5.25pm. A third cut was discovered at KM47.2 at 4.47am today, and a signalling system failure at Bandar Tasik Selatan at 9.57pm last night led to temporary service suspensions. – April 9, 2025