Cable thefts at key Malaysian train lines soar amid copper’s red-hot demand

Thefts of copper-embedded cables have led to disruption in train services linking Kuala Lumpur’s northern suburbs to the federal administrative capital of Putrajaya in recent weeks.

Among the services affected are the high-speed MRT Putrajaya and Kajang lines, two of the most heavily used routes in the Klang Valley, where thieves have moved beyond stripping earthing wires to cutting live cables, which could grind train operations to a halt, according to officials.

Copper is widely used in power transmission, transport systems, construction, electronics and electric vehicles.

Tighter global supply, coupled with rising demand from electrification and data-centre projects, has pushed copper prices sharply higher.

The London benchmark price for the metal rose from US$9,623.50 a tonne (2,240lbs) in March 2025 to US$12,860 in early March, after hitting a record US$14,527.50 in January, according to a Reuters report. Dealer price lists in Malaysia show scrap copper fetching about 41 ringgit to 45 ringgit (US$10 to US$11) per kg, depending on the grade.