Let Malaysian airports soar again

I AM writing in response to the article headlined “Consortium led by Khazanah, EPF announces takeover offer for MAHB at RM18.4bil, to be de-listed by 4Q” published in The Star (May 15; online at bit.ly/3UH2swF).

The proposal by the consortium led by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional and the Employees Provident Fund to take Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd private is a welcome move and I hope it will materialise.

Those who have used our airports regularly over the years can see the rapid deterioration of one of the most important transportation hubs in the country. At the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), for example, the aerotrain is not working, there are long queues that one often associates with airports in impoverished nations, and there are intermittent disruptions to the air conditioning system.

As a frequent user of KLIA and many other airports in the country, it hurts to see the state of disrepair they have fallen into. In March, KLIA was ranked the eighth worst airport in Asia by financing research and information website, Business Financing. That’s a sharp dive considering that in 2001, KLIA was ranked the second best airport in the world!

Over the years, MAHB CEOs have come and gone – between January 2019 and October 2023, there have been three, each serving an average tenure of only 19 months. They made all kinds of promises to turn things around but KLIA’s ranking in well-known airline and airport review website Skytrax and others does not reflect this, while users’ satisfaction continues to plunge.

Obviously, something drastic needs to be done, and after years of non-performance and being ridiculed, perhaps it is time for the experts to come in to turn things around, even if they are foreigners. Part of the consortium proposing to take MAHB private is the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Global Infra-structure Partners, known to have invested in, managed, and turned around Sydney and London-Gatwick airports.

The consortium has announced that it plans to upgrade and modernise MAHB’s airport network and operations, enhance passenger service levels, improve airline connectivity, and stimulate passenger and freight growth. Isn’t this what the country’s airports badly need now?

We have no time to lose to turn things around. Malaysia’s air passenger traffic recovery post-pandemic has lagged regional peers based on statistics from the International Air Transport Association. KLIA recorded only 76% of 2019 traffic in 2023 compared with 94% average globally and 86% in the Asia-Pacific region. Neighbouring countries fared better, with 95% for Manila, 86% for Singapore, and 79% for Bangkok.

Our airports need to soar again and the proposal turnaround plan is just what is needed. I hope the government realises the importance of this and the need to act on it now. I am optimistic that this consortium, with its mix of expertise, will be able to restore our airports and with it, our national pride.

MAK KIM LENG

Subang Jaya, Selangor