The Transport Ministry today vehemently denied the statement by Global Upline Sdn Bhd (GUSB) that the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) runaway is unsafe.

In a statement today, the ministry said the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), which is the authority to ensure standards in airports, and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), which is the operator, have given an assurance that the KKIA has fulfilled the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

NONE “DCA always supervises the airport runway and has found that it fulfills the required standards and is safe for flight operations.

"Hence, the director-general of DCA says we need not worry over the safety of KKIA and also its flight operations. The ministry always take precautions to ensure the safety of the passengers,” it said in the statement today.

On the media statement by GUSB yesterday, the ministry explained that the contractor was given a Certificate of Non-Completion and Liquidated Ascertained Damages (LAD) as it failed to complete the whole Section 1 work following the additional agreement on April 30, this year.

“The action taken by the ministry is based on the terms and condition of the contract.

"Hence, the contractor’s claim over the upgrading of the Kuching International Airport and expansion of the Labuan airport involves contracts which had not been approved by the government,” it said.

Yesterday, it was reported that GUSB’s chief adviser, Ting Pek Khing, the contractor for KKIA runaway expansion and resurfacing, announced it had stopped work since Monday, following a financial dispute with the ministry.

Ting said that in the interest of safety to aircraft operation and passengers alike, they would like to inform the public that the runway is not safe for landing, take-off and other operations since it has been certified non-complete by the ministry.

Previously, it was reported that Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha had said in parliament the faulty runway lights reported on Oct 26 were due to cables not being placed properly.

“The cables for the runway lights were not laid out properly... Ten cables were not laid out properly, due to a charter flight which needed to land. So that job (the laying of the cables) was not done well, and we are very disappointed with that,” he said, adding those responsible were given a “stern-ticking off”.