KOTA KINABALU: Deterrent action must be taken against those responsible if a similar problem with the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) runway lights re-occurs.
“I hope it will not happen again and I think somebody has to take responsibility for what had happened and be accountable. It affected almost 6,000 people who were stuck in the airport.
“It is a sad state of affairs and action should be taken against those responsible,” Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk VK Liew said when met after officiating the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Kepayan and Moyog divisions joint annual general meeting in Kepayan on Tuesday night.
He said this when asked to comment about the incident last week where KKIA runway lights malfunctioned forcing 40 incoming and outgoing flights to be cancelled or rescheduled.
It was the second time the runway lights malfunctioned in six months. Daytime flights were able to take off by first daylight on Friday as Malaysia Airlines (MAS), MASwings and AirAsia passengers on international and domestic routes were put on alternative scheduled flights.
When asked if the incident warranted an investigation by an independent inquiry, Liew said: “I don’t think it has reached that stage. We leave it to the ministry concerned to look into it. If the ministry thinks it is necessary, let the ministry look into it.”
When asked to comment on the call by Putatan member of marliament Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh for Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha to resign if the issue was not resolved, Liew said the ministry had resolved the problem.
“But of course if it happens again, some heads will have to roll. Even if that means the minister, let that be it,” he said.
Marcus had last week said that he held Kong responsible and accountable for what had happened and if Kong could not take action on his officers for what had happened, the minister must be a gentleman and resign.