10 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
MAHB must deliver seamless experience to regain public trust, says Wan Agyl
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) must go beyond technical performance in operating the upgraded aerotrain to rebuild public trust, said a transport consultant.
Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said the service, scheduled to resume on July 1, must also deliver flawless execution in terms of passenger experience.
"After over two years of delays and daily frustrations, the public isn't just expecting a working train.
"They're expecting a seamless, modern and reliable experience that functions every single day, without fuss or excuse.
"The only way MAHB can address this trust deficit is through consistent performance — clear signage, fast transfers, accessibility and integration with the broader Airports 4.0 ambitions.
"Reliability is no longer a nice to have. It's the bare minimum," he told the New Straits Times.
Earlier, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the long-awaited service at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) would resume next month after several delays.
Commenting on the delays, Wan Agyl said the technical reasons were valid but the root cause was poor planning and late decision-making.
"This wasn't just a hardware upgrade. It involved replacing a 25-year-old system with brand new trains, control systems, substations and signalling.
"But MAHB had known since 2016, at least, that the system was ageing. The decision to replace it only came in late 2021, after years of breakdowns and complaints.
"By the time work began, the damage to both operations and public trust was already done.
"Had a replacement plan been communicated and executed proactively, we might not be having this conversation today."
He acknowledged MAHB's adoption of global best practices, including more than 80 critical tests and a 2,000km "fault-free run" required by the Land Public Transport Agency, but said more could have been done sooner.
The KLIA aerotrain issue, Wan Agyl said, offered key lessons for public agencies and infrastructure planners.
"First, critical systems must not be managed reactively. The aerotrain showed signs of failure for years. It took a breakdown where passengers had to walk the track in the rain before the replacement moved forward.
"Second, large-scale projects need tighter governance. Multiple missed deadlines eroded public confidence, even if real progress was being made behind the scenes.
"A public facing delivery scorecard, clearer milestones and transparency could have helped."
He also highlighted KLIA's dependence on a single mode of inter-terminal transport as a major vulnerability.
"Resilient airports build in redundancy. Changi and Incheon do it, and so must we. Contingency planning should be a core design principle, not an afterthought."
However, he praised MAHB's recent efforts to improve transparency, including media site visits and regulatory oversight.
