Source: National Archives of Malaysia. Accession number: 2001/0028303W

Following independence in 1957, towns like Kluang flourished as administrative and industrial hubs, made possible by strong rail links connecting Johor to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

By the 1960s, a shift in leadership marked a new era. In 1961, Malayan Railways appointed its first Malay General Manager, reflecting the country’s move beyond colonial influence. The following year, over 13,000 workers joined a 22-day strike led by the Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya, cementing its place in Malaysian labour history and asserting the voice of local institutions.

Source: National Archives of Malaysia. Accession number: 2006/0028027W

In the 1990s, rail transport underwent further transformation. KTM was corporatised into KTMB in 1992, and by 1997, a management deal was signed with a private consortium — ushering in a new chapter of modernisation and restructuring.