06/07/2025

NATIONAL 3 ON SUNDAY JULY 6, 2025

‘Aerotrain safe, meets international standards’ PUTRAJAYA: Transport

Sarawak assembly to table Bill on adding state seats

█ BY JOSEPH PETER newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUCHING: The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly will table a Bill tomorrow to increase the number of state constituencies, a move that would subsequently lead to a proportionate rise in the number of elected representatives. Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar said yesterday that the one-day sitting had been requested by Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg. “The premier has requested for a special sitting on July 7 to discuss the increase in the number of state assembly constituencies. “The state assembly has the jurisdiction to propose an increase as the eight-year period since the last review has lapsed,” he told a press conference at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu headquarters in Kuching. However, Asfia noted that the actual redelineation of electoral boundaries to increase the number of seats falls under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. Abang Johari, in a move last month, had requested that the special sitting be convened on July 7. Asfia said he had already issued a notice to all 82 state assembly members to attend the sitting tomorrow. Sarawak currently has 31 parliamentary and 82 state constituencies. Asfia emphasised that more constituencies are needed due to the state’s vast land size. Asfia also pointed out that voter numbers are increasing even in urban areas. ECRL project hits 85% completion KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) has been instructed to closely monitor the implementation of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which has now reached 85% completion. Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar conveyed this during the 32nd MRL board of directors meeting held in conjunction with its retreat, which began on Friday in Malacca. He said MRL has also been tasked with ensuring that no disruptions – such as rail encroachments by irresponsible parties – occur, as these could affect the project schedule and delay the targeted start of operations in early 2027. “I am confident that this ECRL project will become a landmark of national pride and a catalyst for economic revitalisation along its alignment and surrounding areas, directly benefiting the people and the nation. “This is in line with the Kesejahteraan (prosperity) element of the Madani principle, which can only be realised through a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach via federal state-private sector synergy,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday. – Bernama

Public safety remains top priority; recent incidents demonstrate reliability of system, says transport minister

language cannot rely solely on laws but must be cultivated through a sense of love and responsibility among the people. “In countries such as Japan and Thailand, there are no special laws to ‘arrest language offenders’, yet their people have high awareness and pride in using their own language. This is what we need to instil in (our) society,” he said. Previously, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek had said the amendment is part of efforts to empower DBP’s role in upholding Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, alongside a special allocation of RM50 million announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Budget 2025. – Bernama was caused by a technical fault involving a drainage pump within the airport’s existing tunnel infrastructure. He clarified that the faulty pump, part of the airport’s legacy system and unrelated to the new aerotrain replacement programme, had failed to function as intended, leading to rainwater accumulation in the tunnel. “The water reached a safety threshold, triggering the aerotrain’s safety system to automatically suspend operations as a precautionary measure,” he added. Loke also referred to a separate incident on July 2, when a passenger obstructed the platform doors from closing, activating the train’s safety mechanism to prevent the doors from shutting forcefully. “This safety response was intentional and appropriate. Both incidents, though regrettable, actually reflect the integrity and reliability of the new aerotrain’s safety systems,” he said. He added that the systems are designed to detect potential hazards and automatically halt operations when necessary, prioritising passenger safety. Malaysia Airports clarified that the issue was resolved on the spot and did not disrupt overall service. The aerotrain service resumed operations on Tuesday after more than two years of upgrading works, which reportedly cost RM456 million. The train serves as a vital link between KLIA’s main terminal and the satellite terminal.

Minister Anthony Loke has assured the public that the new aerotrain at KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 is operating smoothly and was built in full compliance with international standards. He said both Malaysia Airports and the Transport Ministry remain committed to enhancing service quality and responding promptly to any issues to ensure a safe, efficient and seamless travel experience. “I appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we fine-tune operations during this early phase of the

weather conditions. “The aerotrain is currently back in regular service. Our technical teams continue to monitor the system closely to ensure any operational adjustments are promptly addressed. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we fine-tune this new system,” Loke added. He reiterated Malaysia Airports’ explanation that Friday morning’s disruption

new aerotrain service,” he said in a statement. Malaysia Airports confirmed that the aerotrain service was temporarily suspended at 11am on Friday due to water accumulation in the tunnel following heavy rainfall, Bernama reported. It stated that the tunnel’s drainage system is equipped with pumps specifically designed to manage water ingress during extreme

Loke said Friday morning’s disruption was caused by a technical fault involving a drainage pump that is part of the airport’s legacy system and not related to the aerotrain replacement programme. – BERNAMAPIC

No urgent need for major amendments to DBP Act BACHOK: There is no urgent need for major amendments to the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Act as the use of the national language in official matters has already been strengthened through existing legislation. Education Act, local authority by laws, and requirements for the use of Bahasa Malaysia in product labelling and advertising in public spaces. the national language and literature,” he said after officiating at the East Region Writers’ Camp on Friday.

According to him, among the key proposed amendments is to give DBP the authority to expand the use and development of the national language at the international level and to make DBP the sole body to certify language courses and publications related to the country’s language and literature. Additionally, he said DBP also wants to be empowered to require that language-related goods and publications receive DBP’s endorsement for official recognition. Hazami also emphasised that efforts to uphold the national

“After 69 years of DBP’s establishment, we do not face major problems in enforcing the use of the national language because the existing laws are sufficient. What is needed now is implementation and commitment from all parties, including agency heads, local authorities and society itself. “The amendment to the Act currently under consideration is not to ‘arrest language offenders’ as has been sensationalised, but rather to empower DBP’s role as the primary body for the development and recognition of

This includes government circulars that clearly outline the mandatory use of proper Bahasa Malaysia at all levels of the public service. DBP director-general Dr Hazami Jahari said language enforcement has long been enshrined in Article 152 of the Federal Constitution, which designates Bahasa Malaysia as the country’s official language. He said this is further supported by various other provisions, including the