Malaysia Airports Continues To Ensure Airport Readiness At Its Latest Full-scale Disaster Exercise In Kuching International Airport (Kia)

The Airport Operator’s 4th Full Scale Exercise for The Year Saw a Successful Collaboration between KIA and Various Agencies in the Real-Life Reenactment of An Aircraft Crash

KUCHING – Malaysia Airports continues to ensure airport readiness at its latest full-scale disaster exercise in Kuching International Airport (KIA) earlier this week. This full-scale exercise would be the 4th for the organization this year, with the previous one held at Kota Kinabalu International Airport just two weeks ago. The exercise is the best way in ensuring the airport’s readiness in facing disasters as real-life reenactment of the situation is involved to further evaluate the effectiveness of the organisation’s current Airport Emergency Plan (AEP). The AEP is a documentation that encompasses contingency plans to achieve the coordinated actions through the defined guidelines of the general functions and responsibilities of the operational units at the airport, government agencies and airlines in the event of an airport emergency.

The acting group chief executive officer of Malaysia Airports Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said, “As at September 2018, Kuching International Airport (KIA) had registered 4 million passengers, which is a 7.9% increase for the same period last year. With the numbers climbing every year, holding a full-scale exercise this time around is timely. This exercise is important to ensure all parties are well-equipped and trained to deal with a crisis. Through thorough practice, we hope that the actions by the relevant parties are consistent as well as carried out in a safe and concerted manner. The coordination of responsibilities and communications between the agencies should also be tested for further improvement. In fact, prior to the full-scale exercise, all mentioned agencies convened in a table-top exercise to align various Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).”

The exercise of the re-enactment of an air crash at the airport involved more than 800 personnel including the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Ministry of Health (MOH), Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM), Ministry of Transport (MOT), Royal Malaysia Customs Department (KDRM), Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), Malaysia Civil Defense Department (APM), Malaysia Red Crescent, Royal Malaysian Air Force Fire Service, St. John Ambulance and Malindo Air.

This exercise is also in compliance with the requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and CAAM for all airports in Malaysia to conduct a full-scale disaster practice once in every two years. Apart from this exercise, the airports are also required to conduct an annual Fire Evacuation Exercise at the terminal building.