Perikatan Nasional has urged the Transport Ministry to explain why its agencies allegedly failed to perform their functions properly, following the baggage handling system breakdown at KLIA Terminal 1 on Saturday.
The incident had caused delays of between two and four hours for a significant number of arriving passengers, and prompted the ministry to instruct the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to launch an investigation.
PN secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan pointed out that the breakdown was the latest in a series of technical issues that have disrupted passengers across several modes of public transport in recent months.
"When disruptions occur across multiple modes of transport - whether at airports, in urban rail systems, or in related operations - it points to broader challenges in operational management, maintenance standards, system resilience, and the effectiveness of contingency plans.
"These incidents should not be regarded as isolated technical failures, but rather as indicators of deeper systemic weaknesses that require urgent action and a comprehensive approach," he said in a statement.
Trustworthiness, quality in question
Takiyuddin said the incident at KLIA 1 has raised serious questions on the level of trustworthiness and quality in the management of Malaysia's critical public transport infrastructures.
Being the country's critical assets, he added, these infrastructures should be able to operate efficiently and consistently, especially when they involve main entry points like KLIA.
"Hence, PN urges the ministry to provide a transparent and comprehensive explanation regarding the issues, including those involving agencies under its purview.
"The ministry must disclose the root causes of these failures, including whether preventive maintenance regimes are adequate, whether system upgrades are proceeding smoothly, and whether existing contingency plans are truly effective in addressing operational disruptions," Takiyuddin said.
According to a statement issued by Transport Minister Anthony Loke yesterday, the disruption occurred on Saturday evening.
While the baggage handling system was restored that same evening, Loke stressed that this technical restoration did not close the matter and instructed CAAM to investigate.
He also ordered the aviation regulator to examine whether punitive action should be taken against Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for “failure in service delivery."
On top of this, Loke said the ministry secretary-general has been told to convene an emergency meeting with the relevant agencies today.
"The meeting will undertake a thorough review of the existing standard operating procedures governing breakdown management at our airports, with a specific focus on response time, passenger communication, and contingency protocols," he added.
Back to normal
In a separate statement yesterday, CAAM confirmed that operations at the main terminal have stabilised and returned to normal.
"As the aviation regulator, CAAM has exercised strict oversight of the recovery process and continues to engage with MAHB and the airlines to ensure full operational stabilisation and compliance with all applicable safety and service standards.
"MAHB is obligated to comply with the established Quality of Service standards, including the timely and efficient handling of passenger baggage, among others.
"In line with this, CAAM is enforcing compliance with these requirements and will take appropriate regulatory and enforcement actions in the event of any non-compliance," the agency said.
It added that MAHB has also been required to implement corrective and preventive measures. - Mkini
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