RM76.5 million repair bill for klia2, says minister

Low-cost airport klia2 has amassed repair bills of RM76.5 million since beginning operations last May. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 21, 2015.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) has forked out RM76.5 million to patch defects at low-cost airport klia2 since it began operations in May last year.

However, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai did not detail the breakdown of the repairs.

In his written reply to Hanipa Maidin (Amanah - Sepang), he said the Transport Ministry had set up an independent committee on security in January this year to audit and scrutinise issues related to the problems plaguing the RM4 billion airport.

This includes ground depressions at the parking apron, water pooling at taxiways and runways as well as cracks in the terminal building.

Liow said the panel, comprising representatives from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Works Ministry, Board of Engineers and G&P Professional, is expected to table its report at the end of this month.

Additionally, the government had set up a special task force to audit the construction and development of klia2 in August this year.

The task force which comprises the National Audit Department, Transport and Finance Ministries, Works Department, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Department, DCA and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), will conduct its audit at the end of this month.

It will have six months to table its report, added Liow.

Completion of the airport, which was initially billed at RM1.9 billion, was delayed five times over a period of one year.

When it finally opened on May 2, 2014, it still could not resolve several basic issues affecting aircraft safety.

"Ponding" issues emerged after the opening, with water pooling on the ground at parking bays and the airport apron.

Until now, there are still complaints of bumpy taxiways and "sinking" parking bays, despite frequent resurfacing and soil treatment works done during construction.

Fed up with the condition of the airport, low-cost carrier AirAsia filed a letter of demand on July 31 against MAHB and its subsidiary Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd, seeking RM409 million for losses and damages.

- TMI