Airport fulfils standards set by International Civil Aviation Organisation for operations – Ministry

The Transport Ministry has refuted a statement by a company that the runway at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) is unsafe for aircraft landing and take-off as well as other airport operations.

It said that the Department of Civil Aviation, as the authority on airport standards, and airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, had confirmed that KKIA fulfilled the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation for airport operations.

“The KKIA runway is being continuously inspected and found to be in compliance with the standards, as well as ready and safe to be used for aircraft operations,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The ministry said that the Civil Aviation director-general advised the public not to be worried on the safety and security of KKIA.

The ministry issued the statement in response to the one issued on Tuesday by Global Upline Sdn Bhd (GUSB) announcing that it had stopped all works to develop the KKIA effective December 17.

Its chief advisor, Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing, had said the Transport Ministry had failed to fulfil its promise to issue a Certificate of Practical Completion to GUSB upon completion of section one of the works in Package 2 of the project by April 30 this year.

This, he claimed, meant that the runway was not safe for landing and take-off of aircraft as well as other operations.

The ministry countered that it had always put the safety and security of passengers at its utmost priority, hence their safety would not be compromised.

In response to points raised by GUSB statement with regard to the KKIA upgrading works, the ministry said the contractor failed to complete the total upgrading works within the stipulated contract period.

“Thus, the ministry issued a Certificate of Non-Compliance (CNC) and Liquidated and Ascertained Damages (LAD) to GUSB due to the fact that the contractor has failed to complete all works in section one by April 30, 2012 according to the supplementary agreement,” the statement said.

It said the actions taken by the ministry on the contractor was in line with the terms and conditions of the contract.

Source: Borneo Post