SEPANG (Oct 8): Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is hoping for the government to increase its funding for agencies such as Customs and Immigration Departments to improve the efficiency in airports operations, particularly in klia2, said its Managing Director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali.

"For Budget 2015, we hope these government agencies will receive more allocations — which also means the increase in staff — to ensure better operational efficiency in the airports," Badlisham told reporters, after awarding the operation rights of six retail outlets in klia2 to Bumiputera retailers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is scheduled to announce Budget 2015 on Friday, Oct 10, at 4pm.

Meanwhile, MAHB Senior General Manager of Commercial Services Faizah Khairuddin targets to grow the occupancy rate of klia2 outlets to 175 by year-end, from 138 currently.

"Our occupancy rate at this moment stands at some 80%, and it is enough to cater for 25 million passengers that we are receiving currently. The number of outlets will increase in tandem with the number of passengers, which we project to grow to 45 million, as our operation matures," she said.

Faizah added that MAHB expects to increase the number of Bumiputera participation in managing its outlets in klia2 to reach 50%, from 35% currently.