Exercise tests Labuan Airport’s readiness against terrorist attacks
LABUAN: An exercise yesterday to test the readiness of the Labuan Airport to tackle a terrorist attack, riots or explosions resulted in four ‘terrorists’ shot dead and two ‘travellers’ and two ‘policemen’ seriously injured.
A total of 250 personnel from 15 agencies participated in the two-hour exercise, as per the Airport Emergency Plan (AEP), organised by Malaysia Airports Labuan in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police; Fire and Rescue Department and the National Security Council.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF); Civil Defence Force; Health Department and several Labuan media personnel also participated in the exercise.
The ‘travellers’ and ‘auxiliary policemen’ were injured by way of exposure to ‘highly toxic chemicals’ at the departure hall of the airport, and a team from the Labuan Fire and Rescue Department Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Unit was summoned to assist as well.
The exercise, the first of its kind held at the airport, saw two airport cargo personnel taken ‘hostage’. They were released shortly after four of the five ‘terrorists’ were gunned down at the dangerous goods cargo storage area of the airport.
The exercise was a follow-up of similar exercises held at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport in 2016; Sandakan Airport and KL International Airport in 2017 and Kuching International Airport on Dec 6 this year.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) are required to conduct a full-scale emergency exercise every two years.
Labuan Police chief Supt Muhamad Farid Ahmad told reporters the exercise tested the readiness of the police force and other teams in facing possible riots, explosions, hostage-taking and a terrorist attack.
“We cannot be complacent, but must continue to improve our preparations and our speed of tackling the situation … we will have a post-mortem to identify any weakness,” he said.
Malaysia Airports acting group chief executive officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said the exercise was important to ensure that all agencies are aware and well trained in carrying out their roles in case of an ‘Act of Aggression on the Ground’ at the airport.
“This minimises anxiety and unnecessary panic among passengers and the airport community,” he said. - Bernama