MCA YOUTH has expressed concern over a recent incident where a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight en route to South Korea was forced to return to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) shortly after take-off.
Its information chief Neow Choo Seong said the incident adds to a troubling series of technical issues and emergency landings that have been plaguing the nation’s aviation industry, adding the increasing frequency of such incidents raises serious concerns about passenger safety and the overall reliability of the national carrier.
“In light of these developments, it is imperative that the Transport Ministry (MOT) intensifies and broadens its investigative efforts into the root causes of these recurring issues,” he said.
“The safety and reliability of Malaysian Airlines must be addressed as a matter of urgency, given the public’s growing concerns.”
On Monday (Sept 2), MAS confirmed that the flight using an Airbus A330-323 aircraft from KLIA to Incheon International Airport, South Korea had turned back due to a technical issue with the hydraulic system.
It said that flight MH66, which took off on Sept 1 to Incheon, made a precautionary return to Kuala Lumpur shortly after take-off and landed safely in KLIA Terminal 1 at 1.30am.
According to Neow, the pattern of technical problems, ranging from fuel system failures to emergency landings, suggested systemic issues that require immediate and decisive action.
The public’s concern is warranted, and Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook’s call for swift intervention by the relevant authorities is both necessary and justified, he added.
“The MOT must adopt a more proactive stance, implementing stricter oversight and regulatory measures in response to these incidents,” Neow remarked.
“So far, the lack of significant improvements has not provided the reassurance that the nation expects. While MAS’ efforts to resolve these problems are commendable, it is equally critical for the ministry to provide transparent updates and active support.
“We cannot afford to compromise on safety or allow these issues to further damage the reputation of our national aviation industry. The safety of our citizens and the integrity of Malaysia’s aviation sector must remain our top priorities.”
This is the latest incident involving MAS flights being forced to turn back or be diverted in less than a month.
On Aug 22, flight MH152 which departed from Kuala Lumpur at 2.23pm bound for Madinah, Saudi Arabia had to turn around due to a pressurisation issue and landed back at KLIA at 5.22pm.
The day before that, flight MH386, which also used an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, departed from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai at 9.14pm and reportedly had to turn back to KLIA after flying for about 70 minutes, due to cabin pressure problems.
On Aug 20, flight MH128 from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur had to make an emergency stop at Alice Springs Airport, Australia due to engine problems at approximately 4.35am local time.
On Aug 4, a MAS flight MH156 carrying 259 Umrah pilgrims bound for Jeddah turned back to KLIA due to technical problems shortly after take-off. – Sept 3, 2024
Main image: The Star
