Practical ways to go green — Zainuddin

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MOTHER Earth needs all the help she can get. With global emissions of carbon dioxide reaching their highest level ever last year at 30.6 billion tonnes, according to International Energy Agency, our planet needs us now more than ever.

No deed is too small when it comes to conserving the environment.Rather than driving, take the public transport.

The best is to walk. It is, indeed, the ‘greenest’ mode of transportation.

But imagine a mile worth of to-and-fro walk – or perhaps more accurately, run – for more than 15 times within one eight-hour shift.

ON THE GO: With 10 personnel licensed to handle the job at KIA, the bicycle squad operates round the clock in three shifts. Each eight-hour shift will have four staff — one assigned to operations while three others at cargo area.

“That is why we introduced this squad,” Zainuddin Mohamed, MASwings regional manager for Sarawak and MAS Sarawak head of security told thesundaypost.

“We know it’s the best way for us to operate efficiently — at the same time, we’re taking care of the environment, even in the smallest way.”

The squad Zainuddin was referring to was the MASwings team of security personnel who carry out checks around Kuching International Airport’s (KIA) aircraft parking bay – on bicycles.

He said previously, the management used vans to monitor the area.

“The idea was mooted by our former managing director Datuk Mohd Salleh Tabrani quite sometime ago while trying to figure out practical ways for our ground operations to contribute to the environment.

“Since then, the concept has been continued by our present boss Datuk Captain Mohd Nawawi Awang under our recently-launched ‘Wings of Love’ programme which stresses three key areas — education, environment and community service.

“After much planning, we finally implemented the programme in the middle of this year. We received 18 bicycles simultaneously for KIA as well as Miri and Kota Kinabalu airports with each getting six,” Zainuddin explained.

He disclosed that as the vans were no longer in good condition and operating costs continued to rise, the ‘bicycle idea’ was the best option for the ground security personnel.

“Vans are still important, yes, but with the bicycle programme, we can use vans less or redirect them for other purposes. These efforts are part of the little things we in the security department can do to support environmental care.”

In line with its Wings of Love programme, Zainuddin said besides its environmentally conscious objective, the bicycle programme was also set up as a part of MASwings efforts to look after its security staff’s welfare.

“For them to walk from one bay to another can be a bit troublesome. Not that they are unfit but being in the airline industry, one needs to move fast to keep to a tight schedule.

“These personnel attend to as many as 20 MAS aircraft per day, covering a distance of almost half a kilometre from one end of taxiway to the other. As capable as they are, they are still humans. Although very much a green initiative, walking is not so workable.

“Bicycles will be so much more practical to help the staff perform their duties more efficiently. It’s easier to operate in the sense that rather than using vans or the buggy, which pollute the air more, bicycles can offset these problems,” he said.

“It’s good exercise for them too,” he quipped.

A MAS security staff Harisman Hamden, 39, supported  Zainuddin’s statement.

“It’s a healthier way to do our daily jobs – and much more convenient too. Even with the vans last time, not everyday we got to use the vans as they sometimes broke down. Thus, we had to walk. Just imagine with one staff having to attend two to three aircraft at one time, the distance from one bay to another could pose a real challenge in terms of time and speed.

“With the bicycles, operations can be done smoothly,” said Harisman, who has been with MAS for 14 years.

His younger colleague Shaifudin Awang Sahmad, 27, couldn’t agree more.

“What we do here everyday is a very serious job. But doing it on a bicycle is more fun,” he said.

According to Zainuddin, to qualify for the bicycle squad, strict training and certification from the airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (Malaysia Airports) were required.

“It’s not a ‘fly-by-night’ operation. We have to get approval from Malaysia Airports to run this squad on the tarmac. Even so, every personnel has to be licensed by Malaysia Airports to be part of our bicycle patrol squad. For now, KIA has 10 personnel licensed to operate.”

The bicycle squad operates 24 hours in which the staff is divided into three rotational shifts. Each eight-hour shift will, in turn, have four staff — one assigned to operations and three others to the cargo area.

Zainuddin said these workers were doing patrolling, and for those in security, they needed to attend to our aircraft, adding that the most activities occurred during the day shift while at night, it was only patrolling.

“Due to the schedule of our operations — with so many aircraft coming in and taking off — as well as the limited ground staff, the bicycle team need to go from one aircraft to the next to do check-ups both during arrivals and departures. And they have to it as fast as possible. Moreover, they’re not only attending to MAS and MASwings aircraft but other foreign carriers as well.”

On similar programmes being carried out elsewhere,

Zainuddin revealed that in Europe, they were quite common.

“They’re way ahead of us in this. In fact, their security employees have begun to use rollerblades. While it sounds interesting and fun, I don’t think it’s practical here – yet.”

On possible plan to increase the size of the squad, he said he would like to see more licensed personnel coming in although he cautioned: “It’s not as easy as one riding a bicycle on the street. Quite a number of regulations and rules have to be adhered to. Passing Malaysia Airports’ training is required to get the licence.”

Zainuddin now oversees a total of 39 employees in his department. Adding to KIA’s 10 licensed cyclists are 10 staff at Miri airport and another 12 in Kota Kinabalu under the cycling squad programme.

“We would like to extend the bicycle service not only to security personnel but also load-sheet handlers. These employees are usually based at airport operation (AO) site but their routines may require them to deliver the load-sheet (containing data on the number of passengers, cargo load and weight as well as other crucial information) to the captain — anywhere from Bay One to Bay Nine here at KIA.

“That’s could be troublesome if they had to deliver the load-sheet on foot. As such, we are in the midst of getting the bicycles for the load-sheet people,” he said, adding that in Kota Kinabalu, MASwings had already provided two bicycles for the load-sheet personnel.

“We are planning to have this facility in both Kuching and Miri. We’ve also received requests from the smaller Sibu and Bintulu airports to set up the bicycle squad.”

Reiterating that the programme – though small – would help to conserve the environment by reducing the carbon footprint released from the airport, Zainuddin hoped other business units would also embark on similar environmentally-conscious initiatives.

“One quarter is not a lot. But efforts done in large numbers can make a difference.”

As department head Zainuddin has given a ‘constructive’ reminder the bicycle squad as they strive towards maintaining conservation.

“While I hope that the staff will embrace the whole idea of looking after themselves and the environment, it’s also equally important that they take care of the company’s assets – like the bicycles,” he said with a knowing smile.