SEPANG: FIVE people have been appointed members of the independent audit committee to look at safety and operational issues at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2).
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday the committee would be headed by Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and Pacific (Feiap) president Professor Datuk Dr Chuah Hean Teik.
He said the other members were Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abd Rahman, Public Works Department (PWD) director-general Datuk Annies Md Ariff, G&P Professionals Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Dr Gue See Sew and Petronas general manager M. Shobri Abu Bakar.
“The committee will conduct a thorough investigation into the airport’s apron and differential settlement issue,” Liow said after his first working visit to klia2 since being appointed transport minister.
He said the committee was responsible in reviewing the airport’s compliance with regulatory requirements.
“I am expecting a report to
be submitted to me in six months, and action will be taken based
on the recommendations listed
in the report.”
Liow was taken on a tour of the airport and witnessed the problems klia2 faced.
He saw some of the improvements to klia2, such as the newly-installed walkalator at the international departure area, the first of 20 to be installed at the airport. Two more are to be installed by the end of this month and the rest will be finished next year.
More importantly though, the visit took place after heavy rain, allowing him to get a firsthand look at the problems klia2 faces every time it rains.
Liow and those with him got their feet wet at the apron and taxiway of the airport to check on repairs done by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to solve “ponding” problems. Several areas at the apron and taxiway experienced problems whenever it rains as water pooled in depressions there.
Flanked by MAHB managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali and senior general manager (operation services) Datuk Azmi Murad, Liow checked the repairs done by the crew on the depressions at the apron bays.
Looking at the concrete slabs that would be placed on depressed areas, Liow took time to listen to the explanation given to him by the contractor and MAHB.
As he was walked across a deep puddle of water, Badlisham, Azmi, his officers and media practitioners followed suit, none of the group giving a second thought to getting his shoes and the hems of his trousers wet.
On whether contractors would be penalised if they were found to have failed to adhere to the requirements, Liow said he would not hesitate to take action against them.
“Yes. Definitely. If there are any wrongdoings, we will take action against them and I am emphasising again that transparency and accountability to the public are very important,” he said.
Assuring the public that klia2 remained safe for use, Liow said MAHB would carry out repair works and would assess them constantly.
He added that the utmost importance was to ensure that there was no differential settlement issue and that it had to be repaired immediately.
Differential, or uneven, settlement occurs when the soil beneath a structure cannot bear the weight placed on it. The settlement of a structure is the amount that the structure will “sink” during and after construction. Differential settlements become a big problem when the foundation settles unevenly. The more uneven the settlement, the greater the problems are to the building’s, or in the case of klia2, the apron or taxiway’s structure.
Liow said MAHB must respond to, and be accountable for, questions raised by the Public Accounts Committee about delays and cost overruns at the new airport.
Badlisham said the ratification work that was being done at klia2 was part of the airport’s operations and maintenance.
Assuring that the cost was not borne by the public through added taxes, he said it was listed under the airport’s operational budget.
“Let me repeat, none of this is being borne by the public in terms of added tax as this is a normal budget operation for us.”
Asked about klia2’s operating cost, Badlisham refused to divulge details and said all airports in the country required operating expenditure and there was no cost breakdown for the 39 airports nationwide.
He added that three crews were working round the clock to ensure that the ratification works would be completed on time and, so far, 25 per cent of it was done.