DAP: Why no contingency plan for blackout in KKIA?

Sabah DAP has questioned the absence of any standard operating procedure (SOP) in dealing with the abrupt blackout at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) which has left travellers stranded on Thursday.

"Sabah DAP regretted that the blackout has re-occurred and that (the) Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) does not have a SOP to address this problem," Sabah DAP deputy chief Fred Fung said in a statement today.

More regrettably, he added, a blackout had occurred at KKIA a few months prior to this incident but no concrete steps were taken to prevent a re-occurrence.

"The travelling fraternity has suffered while our international image is seriously dented.

"We can only hope that MAHB will be kind enough to compensate all the passengers who missed many opportunities or suffered due to the delay," he said.

Runway lights malfunctioned

Fung urged the government to come clean on the investigation into the incident and action must be taken against those who had "failed to protect the integrity of the aviation industry.

"The findings of the investigation must be made public and those responsible must face the music," he said.

KKIA was closed Thursday night after the runway lights malfunctioned, forcing several incoming and outgoing flights to be cancelled or rescheduled and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

It only resumed operation on Friday night after the Royal Malaysian Air Force moved in to set up temporarily lights for the runway.