KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) has been directed to launch an investigation into Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) over disruptions to the aerotrain service at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
This comes as the aerotrain service saw another breakdown yesterday.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said MAHB, as the aerotrain operator, should be accountable for ensuring the service runs smoothly and meets the required standards.
He noted that the ministry had previously given MAHB some leeway to adjust during the initial phase of the aerotrain operations.
“But the aerotrain has been operating for several months now. The ministry, through Apad, will take firm action against MAHB for every service disruption that occurs,” he said in a statement yesterday.
On Oct 13, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah told the Dewan Rakyat that the aerotrain system experienced 19 disruptions between July 2 and Sept 30.
(The new aerotrains began running on July 1 after its line was closed for a major upgrade that began in 2022.)
Loke said yesterday that MAHB’s operating licence requires the company to maintain a satisfactory level of service for users.
“Under the Land Public Transport Act, any breach of licence conditions can result in a compound of up to RM250,000 for each offence,” he said.
MAHB said in a statement yesterday that there had also been “power supply-related incidents” yesterday morning and on Oct 15.
Under scrutiny: Loke said MAHB should ensure the aerotrain service runs smoothly. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
The issue had been attributed to the aerotrain’s power system, which is under the responsibility of two contractors, it said, adding that it is awaiting for a detailed report from them.
MAHB also said it would work closely with the ministry and Apad to ensure corrective actions are implemented without delay.
“Proactive measures have been activated to mitigate any impact, including deploying dedicated resources and stationing aerotrain contractors on-site around the clock to facilitate seamless passenger movements,” it said.
The statement added that operations at KLIA were fully functional during the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits.
“KLIA recorded over 530,000 passenger movements and 3,400 flights and handled operations smoothly throughout this critical period,” it said.
