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.

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.