KUALA LUMPUR: Getting a low ranking is a push for us to improve our airport, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said they should look at it positively and use it as motivation to do better.
“We are not being defensive,” he told reporters after presenting a mock cheque of RM40mil to the Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) on Tuesday (March 19).
The RM40mil is annual financial support given by the government to the university.
He was responding to KL International Airport (KLIA) being listed as the eighth worst airport in Asia based on sharing experiences of business travelers according to Businessfinancing.co.uk.
However, Loke added that the the views of just one survey cannot be taken as “a conclusion” as there are many surveys and rankings for which the methodologies are unknown.
“Sometimes it is questionable,” he said.
He said we should take heed of KLIA Terminal 1’s position in a more recognised ranking such as Skytrax.
Skytrax is an airline and airport review website that holds the annual World Airline Awards and World Airport Awards.
He said that the airport has its flaws including the issue with the Aerotrain and the baggage management system, which are currently being upgraded.
He said Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is also carrying out other work to upgrade and enhance the ambience at the airport.
Meanwhile, the university’s Board of Governor’s chairman and Alumni Council chairman Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy thanked the government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the contribution, which is recognition of the university’s 55 years of contribution in nation building, training more than 300,000 graduates.
He said the RM40mil committed to by Cabinet in 2012 is important to ensure they can run their over 200 programmes across their main campus and branch campuses.
“The presence of YB (Anthony Loke) here today shows the firm commitment of the government to the decision of the Cabinet in 2012 that they will continue supporting TAR UMT,” said Chan.
