Kota Kinabalu: Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) should be given priority in the proposed nationwide upgrade of airport scanning machines, particularly following recent drug-related cases involving Malaysians at Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, said Luyang Assemblyman Samuel Wong.
Wong said the recent detention of a Malaysian pilot following the seizure of about 25kg of MDMA-type drugs at Soekarno-Hatta, as well as the detention of three Sabah women in a separate drug-related case at the same airport, should serve as a warning for Malaysia to strengthen security controls at its airports.
“KKIA is Sabah’s main international gateway and one of the busiest airports in Malaysia. We must not wait until Sabah faces a major incident before strengthening our airport security system. If the Federal Government is now looking at upgrading scanning machines nationwide, KKIA must be given serious priority. We do not want KKIA to become a transit hub for illegal drugs or other prohibited items,” he said in a statement, Monday.
Wong welcomed Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s announcement that the Government was prepared to explore more advanced airport screening machines.
However, he said the upgrade should go beyond replacing old scanning machines and include a comprehensive review of airport security standard operating procedures (SOPs). This should cover screening technology, manpower, intelligence sharing, risk profiling, baggage inspection and inter-agency coordination.
“The Government should look at the entire security chain, not just the machine,” he said.
Wong also raised concerns over the use of electronic cigarettes and vape devices to conceal dangerous synthetic drugs.
He said some synthetic drug mixtures, reportedly known by street names such as “Piu-piu” or “Piao-piao”, could be concealed in vape devices or liquids that resemble ordinary vape products.
“This presents a different challenge compared with traditional drugs. The item may not look like a conventional packet of drugs or other obvious contraband. It can appear to be an ordinary vape device or vape liquid,” he said.
Wong stressed that stronger airport security was important not only to prevent drugs from entering or transiting through Sabah, but also to protect young people and the wider community from increasingly accessible dangerous substances.
“These products can potentially reach our children much more easily because they may look like ordinary vape products. This is why our enforcement approach must evolve alongside the methods used by those involved in drug trafficking,” he said.
