This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on September 1, 2025 - September 7, 2025

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook was left fuming last Thursday when a 28-minute power outage struck Terminal 2 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA T2), just as he was about to officiate at the “Tap, Travel and Discover” event by gateway@klia2.

The blackout comes as the airport continues to face teething issues following the July recommencement of the aerotrain system. According to reports, much of the terminal was plunged into darkness, causing escalators to stop working and the electrical systems to fail. Although information boards remained functional, a critical concern remains: Why did the backup generators not turn on automatically?

Loke demanded a full report within 24 hours, calling the blackout “unacceptable”. He’s absolutely right. A 28-minute failure at an international airport is far more than a minor glitch — it reflects a serious lapse in operational readiness. The cause, reportedly a flashover involving cable termination, could have been avoided with proper, scheduled maintenance.

It is baffling that such failures continue to occur, especially in the light of the major 2019 systems outage at KLIA that crippled critical airport operations, causing chaos and long delays, and leaving passengers frustrated. That incident was blamed on a glitch in the total airport management system and led to delays in more than 20 flights.

And let’s not forget the 2003 blackout that caused a complete power failure at KLIA and delayed six flights. These recurring failures raise urgent questions about the airport’s infrastructure reliability and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) crisis preparedness.

The latest incident reveals glaring shortcomings in MAHB’s standard operating procedures. It is no longer acceptable to respond with apologies and internal reviews. Accountability and concrete action are what’s needed.

KLIA must do better. The public and international travellers deserve a world-class facility, not embarrassing, inconvenient operational failures.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.