50 more PGA personnel to be deployed at KLIA to tighten security

PETALING JAYA – An additional 50 personnel from the General Operations Force (PGA) will be deployed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to strengthen security controls, particularly in efforts to curb drug smuggling.

Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed the move, saying the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had approved the additional personnel as an initial step to bolster operations at KLIA.

"As initial assistance, the IGP has approved the additional deployment of 50 personnel from the PGA Unit at KLIA in the near future," he said when contacted by Utusan Malaysia here today.

"At present, 69 NCID personnel are already stationed at KLIA and have indeed been involved in previous operations," he added. (Quotes translated from Malay.)

Cabinet decision

Yesterday, the government said several improvements involving aviation security needed to be carried out urgently, including placing police personnel within AVSEC at airports.

The move follows the arrest of a Malaysia Airlines (MAG) co-pilot in Indonesia last week on suspicion of drug smuggling.

Unity Government spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the matter was raised by the Home Ministry (KDN) and the Transport Ministry (MOT) at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, IGP Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail was reported as saying that the police were ready to give their full commitment to implementing the government's decision to place its personnel in AVSEC at the country's airports.

Police involvement is expected to strengthen intelligence sharing, early detection, enforcement coordination and swift action against security threats and criminal activity in the aviation sector.