Mca Youth Issues Rm456m Aerotrain Upgrade Poser After Repeated Disruptions

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Repeated disruptions to the KLIA Aerotrain Service since its recent relaunch last month have led to MCA Youth questioning the quality and reliability of the RM456 million project.
In a statement today, MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung stressed that the funds spent on the airport shuttle’s operation represent a significant investment of public funds, thus making operational issues a matter of public concern.
Urging the Transport Ministry and relevant authorities to provide a clear and transparent report on potential issues with the aerotrain service, Saw also called for the immediate implementation of corrective measures to prevent further incidents.
“There needs to be clarity on whether the recurring issues (with the aerotrain service) are due to system flaws, faulty components, or human error.
“Regardless, to effectively address the problem and ensure passenger safety and public confidence in the aerotrain, the ministry must act swiftly to identify and understand the root causes of these service interruptions,” Saw added.
As such, she recommended that the ministry establish a dedicated committee to investigate the underlying factors behind issues affecting the aerotrain.
MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee FungShe noted that since KLIA serves as the main gateway for international visitors, issues with the aerotrain will not only inconvenience passengers but also damage Malaysia’s image on a global level.
Rigorous testing
The revamped aerotrain resumed its upgraded automated people mover system on July 1 after undergoing a RM456 million overhaul to replace its ageing fleet and infrastructure.
The updated system reportedly underwent six months of rigorous testing and commissioning by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) between January and June 2025.
On July 4, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) said the service had to be temporarily suspended due to water accumulation in the tunnel caused by heavy rainfall.
The airport operator, which was forced to ferry passengers to KLIA’s satellite terminal using their airside shuttle bus services, said one of the pumps in the tunnel’s drainage system experienced a “technical fault” preventing the automatic removal of accumulated water.
ADSTransport Minister Anthony Loke also said the pump was not part of the aerotrain replacement programme, stressing that the incident was in no way a “breakdown” of the aerotrain.
Transport Minister Anthony LokeA week later, on July 12, the aerotrain broke down, with one unit stopping just short of the platform doors due to a breaker trip at the main terminal building’s substation.
At the time, MAHB said it was investigating the matter with the train contractor, Alstom.
The aerotrain is said to have broken down again earlier today, with a frustrated passenger taking to X to vent his grievances, saying: “The KLIA aerotrain is broken again? Millions (of ringgit) were spent on works, but it can’t support the passenger capacity. What is this?”
He also tagged Loke, MAHB and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the post, where he also shared images of travellers crowding one of the airport’s exits after the aerotrain was supposedly unable to transport more passengers.
In a separate X post over an hour after the passenger’s initial complaint, KLIA confirmed the incident and apologised for the 15-minute delay caused by a door malfunction.
Noting that shuttle buses were deployed during the delay, it added that the aerotrain service resumed at 11.01am.
Malaysiakini has reached out to the Transport Ministry for comments on concerns regarding disruptions to the aerotrain service. - Mkini

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