KUALA LUMPUR: Anthony Loke has expressed embarrassment and anger over yet another breakdown of the aerotrain service at KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1, which forced passengers to walk along the rail track in the early hours of Tuesday (Oct 28) morning.
“Yes, I admit the incident was embarrassing. I felt ashamed watching passengers drag their luggage along the track. I am angry, and I share the disappointment expressed by members of this House,” the Transport Minister told Parliament during his winding-up speech for the Transport Ministry on Wednesday (Oct 29).
“I will ensure punitive action is taken. MAHB must also hold the contractors accountable for failing to deliver the expected service quality, even though this is a new system. We want to send a clear message that GLCs also have a duty to provide the best services to the people,” he said.
He added that the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) has been directed to open an investigation into the latest breakdown.
Under the Land Public Transport Act 2010, Loke said, operators who breach licensing conditions could face fines of up to RM250,000 per offence.
However, he stressed that due process must be followed.
“We cannot issue fines immediately. Investigations must be completed first before any action is taken,” he said.
Loke said that despite the repeated service interruptions, the aerotrain system has recorded a 99% operational reliability rate over the past three months.
He explained that the project was initially awarded to a consortium involving Pestech and Alstom. The contract was later terminated and restructured, with IJM joining the new Alstom-IJM-Pestech consortium to complete the aerotrain replacement.
Loke said he has not considered halting the aerotrain service completely.
“At this stage, I have not considered suspending the aerotrain operations. Although there have been disruptions, MAHB has been instructed to obtain guarantees from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to ensure the service operates safely and efficiently,” he said.
The latest malfunction was the 21st incident since the new aerotrain began operations in July. The service stopped while carrying passengers early Tuesday morning, forcing them to disembark and walk along the dimly lit rail track back to the platform.
