PUTRAJAYA, July 6 — Malaysia is now on “high alert” for terror attacks and will impose tighter security on those using the KL Sentral transport hub to travel to airports, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said today.
Liow admitted to security weaknesses at the KL Sentral rail station as it was previously not used as a “checkpoint” for those entering KLIA, but said additional measures will now be implemented.
“At KL Sentral, we will install more CCTVs and screening machines for passengers going to KLIA,” he told reporters here.
“We have given orders for KL Sentral to be an entry point to KLIA; all bags and passengers will go through the same screening checks as KLIA.
“That is to prevent anything that we missed in KL Sentral from entering KLIA,” he added.
When addressing rumours that the Islamic State (IS) terror network is targetting infrastructure in Malaysia, Liow said Malaysia's security situation is at “amber.”
He said the police and airport authorities are boosting security at the country's main airports KLIA and KLIA2, as well as all other local airports.
Besides KL Sentral, security will be tightened at all other train stations in the country, Liow said.
Liow said the authorities are on guard and have improved all security-related standard operating procedures, adding that the police have been successful in detecting IS sympathisers before they became radicals that launched attacks.
"I am confident that the public does not have to panic, we are in a stable condition and we are always monitoring the IS in our country," he said.
Malaysia recorded its first-ever IS-related attack last week when a hand grenade went off outside the Movida Bar in Puchong.
Fifteen suspected militants, including two low-ranking policemen, have since been arrested in connection with the blast.
