KLIA never appears to be able to resolve its problems. This is because it has always been on the defensive and is over using its public relations channel to shoo away public complaints instead of finding a long-lasting solution.

In the current debacle over its baggage sorting and conveying facility, it claimed that preventive maintenance had been done regularly and that it had been subject to daily inspections. This sort of explanation is utter rubbish. If that is true, how could three of the mechanisms malfunction at the same time resulting in the delay of 22 flights.

To appease the public, the management also announced that this will not happen again and that an organisational restructuring and reshuffle of staff had been implemented. This is of course a pre-emptive measure to save heads from rolling. This announcement was made just after a minister said that a replacement of the whole assembly was due at the cost of about RM21 million.

But what about the airport's stained urinals and toilet bowls. Many doors to the toilet rooms are also in a sorry state. The other day when I was there, three of the toilet rooms in the departure floor were closed as they were out of order.

The words of one of the senior leaders in Singapore still rings in my ear, "If you have the money, certainly you can build a bigger airport than us, but let us see how you maintain it ".