13 March 2014
Tony Pua hits out at the government for planning launch of klia2 only a month after repairs said to be completed.
The government has promised it will complete all repairs on the klia2 airport by April 2014, raising accusations that it is standing by the May 2 launch date purely for “face-saving” reasons.
DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said it was apparent that the government was rushing to meet the May 2 deadline, as the launch date was barely a month after completion of repairs.
“This shows that the Transport Ministry will stick to May 2 only to ‘save their face’. They will still open klia2 even though the airport may not even be complete by then,” the Petaling Jaya Utara MP said at a press conference held at the Parliament lobby today.
“We don’t want the airport to be opened in haste, and become an international scandal.”
He pointed out that while all repairs may be complete by April, the authorities would need more time to test the building to ensure the pipes would not crack again due to the unstable terrain.
When asked what date would be a better alternative for the opening of klia2, Pua said that without the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC), the airport was in no state to be launched.
The Transport Ministry had revealed in a written parliamentary reply to Pua that all drainage and road works for klia2 were complete, based on a Feb 27 examination.
“For the pipes, the works are ongoing and will be complete by April 2014, before klia2’s opening on May 2, 2014… the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) have also confirmed the klia2 terminal building is safe for use.
“MAHB (Malaysian Airport Holdings Berhad) have undergone ORAT (Operational Readiness and Transfer) tests with the involvement of government agencies such as the Immigration Department, Customs, PDRM and others,” the Transport Ministry said in its parliamentary reply.
Pua said today that an ORAT would take nine months to test, but in the case of the klia2, the tests had been shortened to three months.
“Not only has it been shortened, but it was conducted even though the construction was incomplete,” he said.
Soft launch?
Meanwhile, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng told the press conference that a “reliable source” had informed him the May 2 opening would only be a “soft launch”, and that the airport would remain closed after the launching ceremony.
“If this is true, I urge the government to delay the launching until the airport is ready to be opened and has obtained the CCC. Do not waste the rakyat’s money,” said Lim.
klia2 has missed several deadlines for its opening with the last one scheduled for April 30 before being moved to May 2.
Source: www.freemalaysiatoday.com
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