PUTRAJAYA, Nov 15 — The water leakage incident at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 yesterday was caused by a contractor’s error during ongoing roof repair and waterproofing works.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), in a statement today, said initial investigations found that the incident occurred while major roof rehabilitation work was being carried out as part of continuous maintenance to address ageing infrastructure.
According to the statement, the contractor had been sealing and covering drainage channels on the rooftop when lightning activity intensified around the airport. In accordance with safety procedures, all work was immediately halted, and workers were instructed to evacuate the rooftop area.
“In the rush to clear the area due to worsening weather conditions, the contractor failed to remove the plywood boards that were used as temporary covers for the drainage channels.
"This resulted in one of the roof drainage systems becoming blocked,” it said.
The blockage prevented heavy rainwater from draining as designed, causing a significant accumulation of water on the rooftop. The pooled water eventually seeped through, leading to a ceiling leak that affected parts of the departure hall.
MAHB said its ground response team managed to clean up and secure the affected area within an hour and a half, after which airport operations continued safely and normally.
The airport operator stressed that the contractor’s failure to follow basic work protocols, especially the removal of temporary drainage covers, was identified as the direct cause of the incident.
It described it as “unacceptable” for work carried out on critical airport infrastructure.
“KLIA is entrusted by the public to uphold the highest standards, and we are committed to ensuring that all contractors and partners adhere to these standards. KLIA is taking firm action against the contractor involved to address this performance lapse,” it added.
MAHB said it is also working with the contractor to immediately strengthen work procedures, including mandatory checks of weather forecasts before starting rooftop activities and enhanced emergency protocols for immediate work suspension during bad weather.
The roof works are part of a year-long project that began in April 2025 to repair and waterproof the main terminal roof, forming a key component of Malaysia Airports’ broader infrastructure renewal programme.
