MAHB Beefing Up Security At Its Istanbul Airport

SEPANG (Selangor, Malaysia), July 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is beefing up security at its Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport following a terrorist attack at another Turkish airport and an attempted military coup there. Its Managing Director, Badlisham Ghazali said the airport operator had been working with the Turkish authorities following a series of terrorist attacks in Europe since last year. He said MAHB would be observing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement. "Even before the incidents, we have been discussing with the Turkish government about increasing the level of security awareness (at the airport). "I look forward (to hearing) what else they want us to do," he told reporters at a hari raya (Eid ul-Fitr) open house hosted by MAHB here Thursday. Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency following the failed army coup on July 16. Suicide bombings at the Ataturk International Airport, Istanbul's main international airport, on June 29 left 41 people dead and 239 injured, while the failed coup killed 265 people and injured 1,100. Badlisham said it is business as usual at the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport with normal air traffic operations. On security at Malaysia's airports, Badlisham said MAHB had held discussions with the Ministry of Transport on ways to further enhance security at airports nationwide. "We are looking at deploying more auxiliary policemen. Various proposals have been put forward and we are studying how the security can be further tightened," he said. In the wake of the Ataturk Airport attack, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently said that the government is considering a proposal to allow only air passengers to enter terminals at all major airports in Malaysia in order to enhance security. He said those sending the passengers off should be gathered outside the airport terminals or be allowed to group at a particular place. -- BERNAMA