TRAFFIC and safety concerns near the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Selangor, are being investigated by both the federal and state authorities.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung said the concerns included traffic congestion, after-hour operationsand low-flying helicopters.
He said residents of Ara Damansara township located near the airport had complained about noise and midnight activity from the maintenance hub.
For this, he said, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) had been tasked with looking into the matter.
“We are talking to CAAM to make sure it conducts a thorough investigation, which it is doing now.
“To me, it’s slow. I hope they can take immediate steps to remedy the situation if it’s really violating the rules and regulations.
“Residents are understandably annoyed by the noise and midnight activity,” said Lee during a community health screening event in Ara Damansara organised by Damansara Medical Centre and Ara Impian Residents Association.
On traffic congestion, Lee said that some of the main routes around the airport were under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department, while others including roads in residential areas fell under state jurisdiction.
“There are jurisdiction issues that need to be sorted out.
“Any further works have to be based on a traffic impact assessment and social impact assessment.
“These are still being studied and nothing has been presented to us yet,” he said.
On noise and airport operations, Lee urged residents to complain to Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), while CAAM had jurisdiction over airport enforcement as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities.
Seri Setia assemblyman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said no new expansion for Subang airport had been approved under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
However, he added that infrastructure issues in nearby townships should be addressed.
“There is a need for supporting infrastructure, which is being looked at by the state as well as the Federal Government,” he said when commenting on traffic spillover from the airport into residential areas.
Mohammad Fahmi added that MRO operators were not allowed to run beyond regular working hours.
“Typically, it’s 9am to 6pm. If residents hear activities beyond that, they can report to MBSA.
“There’s no such approvals beyond normal hours,” Mohammad Fahmi said.
On complaints of low-flying helicopters, the state Islamic religious affairs and cultural innovation committee chairman said it came under CAAM’s purview.
“It must have a way to check whether they are flying at the right altitude,” he added.
Both representatives said their offices had attended dialogues with nearby housing areas, gathered evidence and forwarded complaints to CAAM for further action.
