By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, April 17: Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP), Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, has reiterated his call for Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to enhance the facilities at Kuching International Airport (KIA) in order to provide a higher level of service to passengers, as it currently falls short of the expected standards for an international airport.
Abdul Karim highlighted the need for improvements to be made at KIA, such as enhancing the quality of toilets and providing better check-in counters and baggage retrieval systems.
Additionally, he emphasised the importance of having toilets and food and beverage kiosks available for international departures.
“If you are departing internationally, going to Singapore, the departure hall does not have toilets or a place to drink.
“Where are you going to pee if your flight is suddenly delayed for an hour or two? You will need to go out. Also, set up food and drink kiosks so that travellers can eat and sip during their wait. There is no issue for passengers travelling domestically, but there is an inconvenience for those travelling abroad.
“I would love to see the airport being upgraded and I want to see that this message gets to MAHB,” he told reporters during a press conference held today at the Baitul Makmur II Building here.
He also stated that MAHB should not focus solely on Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), as it is not the only entry point for tourists into Malaysia.
“There are so many entry points. KIA is also one of the entry points. Therefore, the airport must be upgraded.
“I’m trying to push to upgrade our airport. Personally, I see that our airport has much to be desired. I’m very upset. It’s not really up to the mark, whether in terms of the toilets or the service,” he added.
The minister also highlighted the importance of eventually expanding KIA to accommodate a larger number of passengers.
“But until we reach that stage, there’s nothing wrong in making sure that the facilities available are up to the mark,” Abdul Karim remarked. — DayakDaily
