Lee: RM90 mln spent to improve security at major airports in Sarawak

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Lee (third left) chairs the press conference with representatives from various government agencies.

KUCHING: The government has spent a total of RM90 million to improve and enhance security and safety equipment, facilities and utilities at all major airports in Sarawak to ensure passengers’ safety, security and comfort.

Revealing this was Assistant Minister for Land and Air Transportation and Safety Datuk Lee Kim Shin after having a meeting with Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and senior management of Malaysia Airport Holding Berhad (MAHB and other relevant government agencies at his office here yesterday.

“The DCA will install a new radar station costing RM30 million at Kuching International Airport (KIA) to facilitate air traffic control next year.

“The old radar station at KIA will be replaced and a tender has been called, which is now being evaluated. If all goes well it will be installed next year,” he said.

He also said the radar stations at all major airports in the region had overlapping  coverage, meaning that if the radar station in Sibu were down, Kuching and Miri could cover Sibu and if Miri were down Kota Kinablu could cover Miri

“The overlapping system provides a second layer of security and safety in our air space,” he said.

Lee also said for the comfort of passengers at KIA, MAHB had upgraded two sections of the public toilets while two more would follow soon.

For further enhancement of security at KIA, 47 CCTVs had been installed and also upgraded from analogue to digital format.

“MAHB has also spent RM20 million on transfer corridor and food court at KIA,” he added.

Lee also disclosed that KIA would be installed with a simple approach lighting system on Runway 7, costing RM5 million.

For Miri Airport, he said RM30 million had been approved to improve its air traffic management system. A tender would be called soon.

Its public toilet had also been improved and an escalator repaired for the convenience of passengers.

For Bintulu Airport, Lee said RM5 million had been approved to improve its messaging equipment called data based of record (DBOR.

On the escalator at Bintulu Airport, the Department of Safety and Health (DOSH) has investigated the problem last year and said it would be replaced if it were badly damaged.

Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Industrial Development and Transportation, Safri Zainuddin, was also present at the press conference.