Authorities are investigating an incident in which a minister allegedly forced their way into the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) arrival hall to aid a detainee from China, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.
Safety protocols need to be followed, he commented at the launch of the MYAirline student discount programme at KLIA, according to online news portal Free Malaysia Today.
“We are leaving it to the airport authorities because they will be doing a detailed investigation,” he was quoted as saying.
The same report added that Loke’s aide did not confirm whether the incident occurred at KLIA Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.
Yesterday, online news portal Bebas News reported that a minister had barged into the KLIA International arrival hall without a pass to help a woman from China who was denied from entering the country two days ago.
An unnamed source reportedly said that the minister used their ministerial powers and got angry at the KLIA auxiliary police and immigration officers when prevented from entering.
The report added that it was allegedly the third time the minister had done this with detained airline passengers although it was unsure whether previous incidents involved passengers from China or other countries.
Source : Malay Mail
Top civil service union slams minister’s behaviour at KLIA
The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services says it ‘violates security procedures that have been set’.
The country’s largest civil service union has called for an investigation into reports that a federal minister had barged into the arrival hall at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to come to the defence of a foreign traveller facing problems with immigration officers.
Cuepacs, or the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services, said the action was not only an interference with protocols on the country’s security but also an affront to civil servants in executing their duties.
“The intrusion is inappropriate as it clearly violates security procedures or SOPs that have been set.
“If there was a misunderstanding in the process of detaining the tourist involved, the minister could provide assistance according to the procedure or get details from the airport authorities first,” Cuepacs president Adnan Mat said, in response to the incident that has set tongues wagging on the identity of the minister.
This comes as Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he has not received any report on the incident reported by news outlet BebasNews.
“I believe the airport authorities will conduct a detailed investigation into what happened,” he said.
BebasNews, who did not name the minister, said he had breached the arrival hall at KLIA upon knowing that a female Chinese national was barred from entering the country.
“When obstructed, he used his ministerial power and berated the KLIA auxiliary police and immigration officers for wanting to rescue the Chinese female citizen who was detained upon arrival in the country yesterday,” said the report, which was accompanied by blurred photographs of the minister and foreigner during the incident.
The report further said it was the third such interference by the minister at the airport.
Cuepacs has urged for an investigation to ensure such incidents would not recur.
“No individual is above the law of the land, and if there is a violation of laws in this regard, strict action should be taken by the government to uphold the rule of law.
“Cuepacs is against the disruption of civil servants executing their duties to protect the sovereignty of the country just to suit the personal interests of certain parties,” it added.
Source : Malaysia Now
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