KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — MAHB workers’ unions have pledged their support for the airport operator’s five-year comprehensive and systematic redevelopment plan for the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (LTSAAS) in Subang.

Hence, the airport workers’ peninsular union, Kesma, the Sarawak union, Kepemab, and the Sabah and Labuan union, Kepmas, hope the government can declare that the proposed takeover of the airport by WCT Holdings will not happen so as to ensure that the redevelopment plan can strengthen the airport’s operations.

Kesma president Hussain Shahar said the regeneration plan for LTSAAS is better than what WCT has to offer.

"LTSAAS is a national treasure that has contributed greatly to the nation’s economic growth. It has benefited the people directly.

"National security may be compromised if the security personnel overseeing the airport are from a private company,” he told a media conference today.

Hussain said his union will send a memorandum to the government in support of the continuation of LTSAAS’ operations under MAHB.

The airport operator’s unions also plan to meet with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in protesting against the takeover of the airport by WCT that is expected to cause a loss of RM11 billion, involving workers’ incomes, possible investment losses and damages that may have to be borne by MAHB if the LTSAAS regeneration plan fails to proceed.

In a statement today, MAHB said it has sent a strategic and comprehensive plan for the redevelopment of LTSAAS to the government.

Group chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh said the redevelopment plan will expand the airport’s ecosystem exponentially, multiplying global and local controllers to over 100 to create and support a skilled workforce of 19,000 people.

It will also help to boost Malaysia’s high technology transformation, driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and a high national income with a projected value of RM10 billion to the economy.

"This is in line with the strategic thrust identified in the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 and the aspiration of the National Aerospace Masterplan 2030,” he said. — Bernama