Ministries get 2 weeks to submit airport security report

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has mandated a two-week deadline for the Cabinet to submit a comprehensive report on enhancing airport security across the nation. This directive comes in the wake of "recent incidents that had affected the country's image and created the impression that there are weaknesses in airport security," according to Ismail. The Home Ministry and the Transport Ministry have been instructed to deliver the report within the stipulated timeframe.

The call for a detailed improvement plan, involving multiple agencies, was made during a press conference following Ismail's recent visit to several islands in Sabah. Foreign diplomats were tasked with reviewing their travel advisories for the east coast of Sabah, as the security situation in the region has seen significant improvements.

Several nations, including Japan and Switzerland, have already updated their advisories, a move Ismail believes will help disseminate accurate, factual, and balanced information to their respective countries.

The focus on airport security has gained momentum following several cases involving Malaysians, such as the arrest of a Malaysian pilot who was detained after about 25kg of ecstasy pills were found at Jakarta airport last week. Ismail emphasized the Cabinet's serious stance on the incidents, noting that they may have given the impression of breached security controls at the country's airports.