Loke says MOT taking note of views to improve KLIA after it was named among Asia’s worst airports

• Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the MOT knows there are some weaknesses at KLIA, but the ministry will try its best to upgrade the airport.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 19): The Ministry of Transport (MOT) takes note of views or studies regarding the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) as reference and advice in improving services at the airport, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook. (pictured)

He said the MOT knows there are some weaknesses at KLIA, but the ministry will try its best to upgrade the airport.

“As I mentioned yesterday (Monday, March 18), there are two big projects going on. The first is the aerotrain, which is being overhauled; and the second is regarding the baggage management system that is being upgraded. It will take a year or two to upgrade.

“There are also several projects being carried out by MAHB (Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd) to upgrade and enhance the ambience at Terminal 1 (KLIA),” he told reporters after a mock cheque presentation ceremony to Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT), here on Tuesday.

Loke was commenting on a report by a business portal (Business Financing) which said the KLIA ranked eighth in the list of the worst airports in Asia, with a total score of 3.36 given by business travellers.

According to the report, one of the reasons why KLIA’s performance declined was due to the lack of comfortable facilities at the airport, and because tourists often complained about the poor design of the KLIA airport, resulting in long queues and having to walk a long way to get to the terminal.

Loke said that however, not every study or view of a party should be taken as a conclusion or impression, as there are currently too many studies being carried out.

“What kind of methodology did (the business portal’s reporter) undertake to come up with that conclusion?... We are not taking a defensive approach but it is a negative view that will be well received and an incentive for us to do more, [taken] positively,” the minister said.

Regarding the mock cheque ceremony to TAR UMT, Loke said it was a contribution of RM40 million from the Unity Government to help the university financially.

The Unity Government is committed to ensuring that the annual allocation is disbursed in the first quarter of each year, in its efforts to help ease TAR UMT’s financial burden to provide the best facilities to students, lecturers and staff, he added.

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