Measures to tighten airport security at Malaysia’s KLIA to be implemented in three phases

KUALA LUMPUR – The 17 recommendations to tighten airport security at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will be done in three phases, with the first to be carried out over the next six months, says Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.The Home Minister said the first phase, which began in August, included six short-term measures such as targeted, risk-based screening and tighter access controls at airports.He said the recommendations were drawn up following the arrest of a Malaysia Airlines co-pilot in Jakarta for allegedly carrying drugs.He said this includes the implementation of physical pat-downs from head to toe on individuals, as well as 100% baggage screening for outbound flights from KLIA.“This increased screening is part of the targeted, risk-based screening for high-risk flight destinations based on data and cases where smuggling incidents frequently occur,” he told the Parliament on Oct 6.Saifuddin said access controls at KLIA would also be tightened, with the validity period of certain access cards being decreased from five years to two years.He said the cards, issued following security vetting, would also have to be renewed after the shortened validity period.He added that daily passes issued by Malaysia Airports Holdings and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) would also be subjected to tighter controls.“We will also conduct periodic and random checks with CAAM working together with the Royal Malaysia Police and the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) on this,” he added.Saifuddin said the government had also deployed the 19th Battalion of the General Operations Force, Central Brigade, at all airport terminals following the incident to act as a visible deterrent.“From the day of the incident until now, they have maintained a visible presence at all our terminals, fully armed.“We are now also coordinating increased intelligence-sharing with the relevant agencies and police to classify the scale of the threat and the modus operandi involved,” he said.He added that Phase 2 of the 17 recommendations would be implemented after the six months of Phase 1 is finished.Saifuddin was responding to a question from Takiyuddin Hassan (Perikatan-Kota Bharu) on the current status of the implementation of the 17 improvement recommendations to KLIA.The 17 recommendations had been previously announced by the Home Ministry and Transport Ministry in a joint statement on Aug 20. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK