KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — A collision between two trains on the LRT Kelana Jaya line earlier today was the first black mark in the 23 years since it was introduced in Malaysia, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said today.

The transport minister said he was saddened by the incident and promised a thorough investigation on how things went wrong.

"As part of the government, we are sad to face such incidents because it is the first such accident in over 23 years of the LRT operating in Malaysia.

"The head-on collision is something serious and the Transport Ministry will form a special investigation panel to probe the incident and the Director General of APAD will send the preliminary report of the incident to me tomorrow,” he told reporters at the KLCC LRT station in Avenue K here.

APAD is the Malay acronym for the Land Public Transport Agency.

Wee said assessment and repair works had been immediately ordered to be carried out on the two carriages.

He said shuttle busses would be used to ferry would-be passengers between the KLCC and Kampung Baru LRT stations if the train services could not resume later in the morning.

In detailing the incident, Wee said the collision happened between an empty carriage that was on a test-run and one laden with passengers, but did not offer insights into any preliminary findings of what could have caused the incident.

"One carriage was travelling at 20km/h and another at around 40km/h when the collision happened and this caused a significant jolt that threw some passengers out of their seats and this was how they sustained their injuries.

"As of now I cannot say what is the extent of the damage or disruption to the service, and it is still too early and premature to assume the actual cause,” he said, adding that a full report of the incident is expected to be completed in no less than two weeks’ time.

He said some suffered injuries to their limbs, some on their neck and shoulders, but added how all those who needed medical attention were sent to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for treatment and other nearby hospitals.

Wee added that compensation for victims, for now, is being handled by Prasarana insurance coverage.

The incident earlier today saw a total of 232 victims involved in the accident, with 47 said to suffer serious injuries and 166 with light injuries.