It is rather concerning that some people continue to make light of something as serious as a bomb threat, particularly in an airport setting. One would think that after numerous reports of false alarms and arrests, individuals would refrain from joking about carrying explosives.
Unfortunately, some seem eager to test the limits of their questionable sense of humour—or perhaps to use an unusual method to keep their belongings safe. Here is what happened at Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday (Tuesday, 2nd December):
According to reports, an individual left a concerning note on their bag’s label, which read, “Please don’t take. There’s a bomb.” The tag also included a name and phone number. Unsurprisingly, this prompted an immediate emergency response from KLIA. As a result, the airport was temporarily closed while Aviation Security, the police, and the bomb disposal unit attended to the situation. The incident reportedly occurred at 5:32pm and caused the delay of a departing flight.
“All passengers remained safe throughout the process. The flight later departed with the remaining passengers at 7:19pm. Authorities completed a thorough sweep of the scene before declaring a stand down at 8:58pm, confirming that the threat was unfounded,” Malaysia Airports said in a statement. At the time of writing, not much is known about the suspect or why he decided to write down the bomb threat on his bag. Regardless, the individual was reportedly arrested at KLIA Terminal 1 before being handed over to the Royal Malaysian Police (PRDM) for further questioning.
Fortunately, there was no real danger, and airport operations soon resumed as normal. Shortly after the news broke, netizens took to social media to express their frustration over the incident, urging KLIA and Malaysia Airports to take further legal action against the perpetrator who caused panic and inconvenience to both staff and passengers. Others suspected that the man may have intended to use the bomb threat on his bag as a “humorous” way to prevent theft, but that unfortunately backfired on him.
Regardless of his intentions, let this be a reminder that even writing or saying the word bomb could land you in jail, so best to refrain from using that word or any synonymous terms when you’re at an airport.
