Malaysia airports to charge anti-terror fee

KUALA LUMPUR — Passengers flying out of Malaysia are to have another burden as they will have to pay about RM35 (S$11.50) once the government introduces the Advance Passenger Screening System (APSS), reported the Sun.

Several systems are already being used by other countries to check the status of passengers.

As such, a source questioned why the government has to pay RM8 billion over 15 years to a private company to set up a new system.

There is also the question of which party would collect the fee, as airport tax goes to Malaysia Airports Berhad and a RM1 levy is channelled to the Malaysian Aviation Commission.

“The plan is to have the company develop the hardware and software for APSS and passengers bear the cost,” the source told the newspaper.

“This plan makes no real sense as there are readily-available systems in the world, like the system being used in Australia, which only costs about A$80 million (S$81.7 million).

The source said the screening system is aimed at protecting the country from undesirable elements such as terrorists and it is, therefore, a national security issue.

The costs for such systems linked to security is usually borne by the government, but some may charge a nominal fee of US$1 (S$1.35), the source added. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT