Saifuddin: KLIA scanners not the issue, screening gap lies in SOPs
PUTRAJAYA: Scanning machines at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) are fully capable of detecting contraband such as drugs, but screening protocols have prioritised weapons detection, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that scanning machines at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) are fully capable of detecting contraband substances like drugs. However, the issue lies in the screening protocols that prioritize weapons detection. This discrepancy came to light after reports of a Malaysian pilot being arrested in Jakarta for smuggling 70,000 ecstasy pills and methamphetamine into Indonesia.
Saifuddin explained that baggage screening at KLIA is conducted by Aviation Security, with assistance from auxiliary police, in accordance with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The current screening protocols emphasize weapons detection, leading to a gap in identifying contraband despite the machines' technical capability.
Saifuddin emphasized that the incident is a contraband case, not a shortfall in scanning machines. He further noted that while the scanning machines have full detection capability, there is room for improvement, particularly in officer expertise. Saifuddin signaled the government's openness to adopting more advanced screening equipment, despite the existing machines' high detection capability.
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