Many of you may be familiar with the 2004 hit film “The Terminal”, starring Tom Hanks. The film tells the story of a man named Victor Navorski, who is forced to live in an airport in the United States after a conflict in his home country renders his visa invalid.
The film was partly inspired by the real-life story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived in Terminal 1 of Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport in France for 18 years. It now appears that Malaysia has its own version of this story, after a local woman was allegedly found living at Kuala Lumpur International Airport for about a year. Here’s what happened:
Recently, a video circulated on social media showing a woman, dressed in blue, arguing with another passenger in one of the lounging areas at KLIA Terminal 1. According to the video’s voiceover, the woman, who was initially believed to be a foreigner, had allegedly been living in the airport for approximately a year. She was seen scolding the passenger after becoming irritated by children playing nearby, while passersby attempted to calm her down.
The woman was later seen seated, looking at her phone and surrounded by multiple pieces of luggage placed on several airport trolleys, further fuelling speculation about her prolonged stay at the airport. There were also claims that she had been using the airport’s facilities for sleeping and bathing. The clip quickly went viral, with netizens dubbing the incident Malaysia’s real-life version of “The Terminal”. Others urged authorities to investigate the matter, warning that such incidents could tarnish KLIA’s reputation.
Yesterday (Tuesday, 23rd December), KLIA confirmed that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) were aware of the situation and are currently conducting an investigation. Deputy KLIA police chief Superintendent Albany Hamzah said in a statement that the woman was later confirmed to be a local and was taken to Kajang Hospital after officers discovered that she was carrying a mental health card.
According to a report by Kosmo, the woman was reportedly one of five homeless individuals who have been temporarily staying in the area for over a year. The group is said to avoid remaining at the airport for long periods to avoid arrest. At the time of writing, there have been no updates on what will happen to the woman or the others who have used KLIA as a temporary home.
Watch the viral clip below:
@malaysiatribune Wanita Didakwa Tinggal, Mandi dan Tidur di KLIA Selama Setahun #malaysiatribune #beritasemasa #klia
Sources: MalayMail, TheStar, Kosmo
