LETTERS: Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) as the operator of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) should cease pat-down screening or inspection of passengers prior to being cleared for boarding.
I travelled on Malaysia Airlines MH129, with a departure time of 9.20am from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne on Nov 30 with my wife.
At the security screening point, I removed my belt and watch, and emptied my pockets as instructed. As I went through the scanner, the beep went off. I had my gold chain with two pendants around my neck.
I was asked to move forward. A security gentleman carried out a pat-down screening before clearing me. Passengers were not told to remove their jewellery. What puzzled me was that the scanner did not beep when my wife, who had a gold necklace around her neck, went through the device.
MAHB had, on Sept 21, 2018, announced it would upgrade security screening at Terminals 1 and 2 at KLIA with new and upgraded X-ray machines and scanners by mid-2019.
The move will do away with pat-down screening (physical body searches) of passengers before they are allowed to go to the boarding gates.
It has been five years since MAHB made the announcement, but the situation remains status quo.
As someone who was then working with the civil aviation industry in the Asia-Pacific region, I highlighted the pat-down screening on Jan 5, 2016.
Pat-down screening can be unacceptable to some people as it involves body contact.
Traditional X-ray scanners have been upgraded with precise imaging capabilities. Therefore, I am not wrong to say that pat-down screening is obsolete.
Full-body scanners can detect non-metal objects, which are also deemed threats.
Airports worldwide have upgraded their screening methods. Even shopping malls in the Philippines and Thailand have equipped their security staff with the hand-held Garrett device, a security threat detector.
My wife and I departed from Melbourne on Dec 12 (Flight MH148) at 3.10pm (local time). Security screening was a breeze.
On another note, the bus that we boarded at Gate C5 to the main terminal looked like one that was taken out of service with all seats removed.
There should be at least a few seats for the elderly and mothers with infants. The bus that we boarded to the gate for departure was also an old one, but in better condition with seats.
WILLIAM DENNIS
Subang Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times