00:00:00
even before we broke ground for terminal
00:00:02
4 in Juel we already envisaged building
00:00:04
terminal 5 a lot of decisions were late
00:00:09
were delayed the aerot train is a good
00:00:11
example i have to answer to the to the
00:00:14
public but the aerot train is not a
00:00:17
decision made by me what if I told you
00:00:19
that an airport could tell the story of
00:00:21
an entire nation that stepping into its
00:00:24
terminals could showcase a country's
00:00:27
vision progress and global standing for
00:00:30
decades two airports have stood as
00:00:33
symbols of two neighboring nations
00:00:36
singapore's Changi Airport and
00:00:38
Malaysia's Koala Lumpur International
00:00:40
Airport or KIA both were built with
00:00:44
grand visions both were meant to be
00:00:47
worldclass but today their reputations
00:00:50
couldn't be more different while Changi
00:00:52
consistently ranks as the best airport
00:00:55
in the world drawing millions of transit
00:00:58
passengers and tourists KIA struggles
00:01:02
with broken infrastructure endless
00:01:05
delays and a plummeting global ranking
00:01:08
one airport keeps evolving always
00:01:10
looking ahead the other caught in a
00:01:13
cycle of operational setbacks and missed
00:01:17
opportunities so what happened how did
00:01:19
Singapore turn Changi into an aviation
00:01:22
powerhouse while Malaysia let KIA fall
00:01:26
into decline and why does this
00:01:28
difference matter not just for travelers
00:01:30
but for the global reputations of both
00:01:33
countries to understand the contrast
00:01:35
between these two airports we must go
00:01:38
back to where it all began the year is
00:01:41
1965 singapore a tiny island nation has
00:01:45
just separated from Malaysia the future
00:01:48
looks uncertain no natural resources no
00:01:51
hinterland and barely enough land to
00:01:54
sustain itself few believed Singapore
00:01:56
could survive let alone thrive malaysia
00:02:00
on the other hand had everything vast
00:02:02
land rich natural resources including
00:02:05
tin rubber and palm oil and
00:02:08
wellestablished industries it had a
00:02:11
solid economic foundation while
00:02:13
Singapore was just a struggling city
00:02:16
state but in the decades that followed
00:02:19
something extraordinary happened
00:02:21
singapore didn't just survive it became
00:02:24
one of the world's wealthiest nations
00:02:27
and at the heart of this transformation
00:02:29
was a relentless focus on infrastructure
00:02:32
efficiency and global connectivity
00:02:35
nowhere is this more evident than in
00:02:37
Changi Airport when Changi Airport
00:02:40
opened in
00:02:42
1981 it wasn't just about giving
00:02:44
Singapore a place for planes to land it
00:02:47
was about creating an experience an
00:02:50
ecosystem and a worldclass gateway to
00:02:53
global connectivity malaysia meanwhile
00:02:56
had its own grand plan in 1998 KIA was
00:03:01
unveiled to great fanfare it was modern
00:03:04
spacious and designed to be Southeast
00:03:07
Asia's premier aviation hub but unlike
00:03:10
Chungi which evolved with long-term
00:03:12
vision and meticulous planning KIA fell
00:03:16
victim to poor execution and a lack of
00:03:20
sustained investment by the 1990s Chungi
00:03:23
had already cemented its place as a
00:03:26
global leader consistently winning
00:03:28
awards and expanding its facilities
00:03:31
meanwhile
00:03:33
KLIA once ranked among the world's top
00:03:35
10 airports in
00:03:37
2001
00:03:39
2010 2011 and 2012 has been on a steady
00:03:44
decline ever since and today the gap has
00:03:48
never been wider as Singapore announced
00:03:51
plans for Terminal 5 set to handle 50
00:03:54
million passengers annually Malaysia
00:03:57
still struggles to maintain KIA's basic
00:04:01
operations and perhaps the most telling
00:04:03
setback of all the KIA Aerot train a
00:04:07
train that has been out of service since
00:04:11
2023 leaving passengers stranded with
00:04:14
shuttle buses and that so far has been
00:04:18
the reality of KIA every major airport
00:04:21
faces challenges aging infrastructure
00:04:24
rising passenger numbers and the
00:04:26
constant need for upgrades but at KIA
00:04:30
these challenges haven't just slowed
00:04:32
progress they've defined the airport's
00:04:35
reputation the Aerot train was once a
00:04:38
symbol of modern efficiency it was meant
00:04:40
to seamlessly connect KLIA's main
00:04:43
terminal to the satellite terminal just
00:04:46
like similar systems in leading airports
00:04:50
worldwide but in March 20123 the service
00:04:54
was suspended after repeated breakdowns
00:04:57
for nearly 2 years passengers have been
00:05:00
forced to take shuttle buses instead
00:05:02
causing longer weights overcrowding and
00:05:05
an experience far from the smooth
00:05:08
worldclass journey KIA was designed for
00:05:12
when Transport Minister Anthony Lok
00:05:14
announced the termination of the
00:05:15
original contractor overseeing the
00:05:18
replacement project for failing to
00:05:20
deliver on time it was widely seen as
00:05:23
the right decision the aerot train
00:05:25
service is now expected to resume by
00:05:28
June
00:05:29
2025 under a new contractor with three
00:05:33
larger brand new trains shuttling
00:05:35
passengers between terminals in just 3
00:05:38
minutes but skepticism runs high the
00:05:41
replacement project has already missed
00:05:43
three deadlines july
00:05:46
2024 and January
00:05:49
2025 and March
00:05:51
2025 leaving many doubtful that the
00:05:54
latest target will be met meanwhile
00:05:57
costs have ballooned to 456 million
00:06:00
ringit a 15% increase from the initial
00:06:03
budget yet the project remains
00:06:06
incomplete lok himself has expressed
00:06:09
frustration not just over the delays but
00:06:12
over the fact that he's the one
00:06:14
constantly answering for them the truth
00:06:16
is KIA cannot afford more excuses for an
00:06:21
airport meant to be Malaysia's gateway
00:06:23
to the world a broken AOT train isn't
00:06:26
just an inconvenience it's a symbol of
00:06:29
stalled progress but the Aerot train is
00:06:32
just one part of KIA's struggles for
00:06:36
years travelers have voiced their
00:06:37
frustrations about long immigration
00:06:39
lines slow baggage handling poor state
00:06:42
of toilets and leaky ceilings in
00:06:46
2024 KIA dropped to 71 place in the
00:06:51
Skyras Global Airport rankings down from
00:06:55
67th the previous year meanwhile
00:06:59
Singapore's Changi Airport continues to
00:07:01
dominate having claimed the title of the
00:07:04
world's best airport 12 times most
00:07:08
recently in 20123 for Malaysia this
00:07:12
isn't just about rankings it's about
00:07:15
reputation an airport is the first
00:07:18
impression of a country when passengers
00:07:20
arrive at KIA and are met with long cues
00:07:24
outdated facilities and limited transit
00:07:26
options it affects more than just their
00:07:29
travel experience it shapes how Malaysia
00:07:32
is perceived on the world stage yes
00:07:35
Malaysia is betting big on KIA's future
00:07:38
with a massive 10 billion ringit
00:07:40
makeover from modernized terminals to
00:07:43
improved transit and expanded airline
00:07:46
connections the goal is clear bring KLIA
00:07:50
back to the world's top 10 airports by
00:07:54
2028 however many are left wondering why
00:07:58
has it taken so long for these changes
00:08:00
to come about the question gained
00:08:03
further weight when transport minister
00:08:05
Anthony Lok revealed in February 2025
00:08:09
that KIA Terminal 2 was still operating
00:08:12
below its maximum capacity of 45 million
00:08:15
passengers per year this meant that
00:08:18
expansion plans will only be considered
00:08:21
once Terminal 2 reaches full capacity
00:08:24
hinting at more delays ahead as Malaysia
00:08:27
looks to expand KLIA eventually one
00:08:31
thing is certain revamping the airport
00:08:35
isn't just about improving
00:08:37
infrastructure it's about demonstrating
00:08:39
Malaysia's ability to compete on the
00:08:41
global stage while KLIA struggles to
00:08:45
regain its footing Singapore is already
00:08:48
preparing for the future changi Airport
00:08:50
isn't just fixing problems it's setting
00:08:53
new global standards great airports
00:08:57
don't just happen they are built refined
00:09:00
and re-imagined over time and nowhere is
00:09:03
this more evident than in Singapore's
00:09:05
Changi Airport a name that has become
00:09:08
synonymous with efficiency luxury and
00:09:12
worldclass innovation while KIA
00:09:15
struggles to fix its aerot train
00:09:17
Singapore is already building its next
00:09:20
generation terminal ensuring that it
00:09:22
stays ahead of the competition for
00:09:24
decades to come how did this happen what
00:09:28
makes Changi Airport so vastly different
00:09:30
from KIA the answer lies in vision
00:09:34
execution and relentless improvement
00:09:36
when Changi Airport first opened in 1981
00:09:40
it was already ahead of its time while
00:09:43
other airports treated passengers as
00:09:45
mere travelers Changi treated them as
00:09:48
guests offering superior service
00:09:51
cuttingedge efficiency and a seamless
00:09:53
travel experience but what truly sets
00:09:56
Chungi apart is its willingness to
00:09:58
evolve instead of waiting for
00:10:00
infrastructure to age before making
00:10:03
upgrades Singapore has continuously
00:10:06
expanded and modernized Changi to meet
00:10:08
the demands of tomorrow's travelers
00:10:11
after all the stakes here are incredibly
00:10:13
high singapore is the prosperous beating
00:10:17
heart of this part of Southeast Asia and
00:10:20
Changi Airport is moving the lifeblood
00:10:23
of the city countless workers like the
00:10:27
businessmen and women who have grown the
00:10:30
metropolis into a worldwide center for
00:10:33
technology and business in fact for the
00:10:37
last 30 years Southeast Asian tech gurus
00:10:40
and entrepreneurs have been building
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massive generational wealth and a slice
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of that wealth has funneled into a
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non-traditional asset class fine art in
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the modern day Hong Kong has actually
00:10:55
surpassed London in annual auction sales
00:10:58
showing just how strong a run it's been
00:11:01
over the last few decades not only that
00:11:05
but for the past 30 years this
00:11:07
contemporary art has seen its
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appreciation actually outpace more
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00:12:15
Airport in 2017 Terminal 4 was launched
00:12:19
integrating cuttingedge biometric facial
00:12:22
recognition self-service check-ins and
00:12:25
automated immigration clearance years
00:12:27
ahead of most global airports then in
00:12:32
2019 Singapore unveiled Juul Changi
00:12:35
Airport a stunning $1.7 billion
00:12:38
lifestyle and entertainment hub that
00:12:41
redefined what an airport could be juul
00:12:44
was a bold strategic move designed not
00:12:48
just to elevate the passenger experience
00:12:50
but to transform Changi airport into a
00:12:53
destination of its own with its blend of
00:12:56
luxury shopping fine dining and
00:12:59
immersive experiences Juel attracts both
00:13:02
travelers and non-traers alike driving
00:13:06
foot traffic and boosting retail revenue
00:13:09
more visitors mean more income and more
00:13:11
income fuels continuous reinvestment
00:13:15
into the airport's future growth step
00:13:17
into Juul and it becomes clear this is
00:13:20
no ordinary airport it's a place that
00:13:23
creates an emotional connection a place
00:13:26
where nature technology and worldclass
00:13:29
hospitality converge to turn a typical
00:13:32
transit stop into something
00:13:35
extraordinary at its core lies the rain
00:13:38
vortex the world's tallest indoor
00:13:41
waterfall cascading over seven stories
00:13:44
in a mesmerizing display surrounding it
00:13:47
is the Chaseedo Forest Valley a lush
00:13:50
indoor rainforest with
00:13:53
2,500 trees and 100,000 plants creating
00:13:57
an atmosphere that redefes what an
00:14:00
airport can be but that's not all as
00:14:03
Changi Airport grew so did its capacity
00:14:06
between 2015 and
00:14:09
2023 terminals 1 and 2 underwent major
00:14:13
expansions incorporating
00:14:15
state-of-the-art baggage handling
00:14:17
systems expanded check-in counters and a
00:14:21
fully automated special assistance lane
00:14:24
for passengers with reduced mobility and
00:14:26
now Singapore is preparing for its
00:14:29
boldest move yet terminal 5 a mega
00:14:33
terminal set to open in the mid 2030s
00:14:36
that will add another 50 million
00:14:38
passengers to Changi's capacity bringing
00:14:41
the total to a
00:14:43
staggering 140 million passengers
00:14:46
annually singapore's answer to the
00:14:48
growing demands of global air travel
00:14:51
terminal 5 will be capable of adapting
00:14:54
to pandemics climate challenges and the
00:14:57
everanging needs of travelers fully
00:14:59
automated baggage handling biometric
00:15:02
immigration clearance and AIdriven air
00:15:05
traffic control will ensure that
00:15:07
passengers move through seamlessly
00:15:10
simply put Changi Airport's future isn't
00:15:13
just about being the best airport in the
00:15:15
world today it's about staying the best
00:15:18
for the next 50 years kia to its credit
00:15:22
has cultural charm its main terminal
00:15:25
pays homage to Malaysia's heritage with
00:15:27
traditional Islamic inspired skylights
00:15:30
and a rainforest ambiance and when it
00:15:33
comes to social media appeal KIA held
00:15:36
its own in
00:15:39
2024 ranking fourth on Instagram's most
00:15:42
hashtagged airports list beating Changi
00:15:45
Airport but hashtags don't translate
00:15:48
into seamless experiences the fact is
00:15:51
KLIA seems to lack a clear
00:15:54
forward-thinking strategy to stay
00:15:57
competitive while Chungi has
00:15:59
continuously reinvented itself to adapt
00:16:02
to evolving demands
00:16:04
KIA still operates with a layout and
00:16:07
infrastructure largely unchanged since
00:16:10
its opening in 1998
00:16:13
kia's planned upgrades like self-
00:16:16
baggage dropoffs and new lounges by
00:16:19
2025 are steps forward but they pale
00:16:22
besides Singapore's leaps this
00:16:25
stagnation means that by the time KIA
00:16:28
finalizes its next terminal expansion
00:16:32
Changi will likely have already unveiled
00:16:34
yet another worldclass facility poised
00:16:37
to dominate global air traffic the stark
00:16:40
contrast between Changi airport and
00:16:43
KLIA extends beyond infrastructure it is
00:16:47
also about management approach changi
00:16:50
Airport is operated by Changi Airport
00:16:53
Group a corporatized entity solely
00:16:56
focused on aviation development its
00:16:59
strategic planning and proactive
00:17:01
investment in innovation ensure that it
00:17:04
remains ahead of global trends
00:17:06
continuously refining the passenger
00:17:09
experience and enhancing efficiency kia
00:17:13
on the other hand is managed by Malaysia
00:17:15
airports holdings bear a government-l
00:17:20
overseeing 39 airports across the
00:17:22
country balancing resources across a
00:17:25
large portfolio presents complex
00:17:27
operational challenges requiring careful
00:17:31
prioritization of investments and
00:17:34
upgrades while MAHB has taken steps to
00:17:37
enhance KIA's facilities the airport has
00:17:40
faced difficulties in maintaining its
00:17:43
global standing prompting calls from
00:17:45
industry experts for more strategic
00:17:48
long-term planning to boost its
00:17:50
competitiveness compounding the
00:17:52
challenges decision-making has
00:17:54
reportedly been hindered by a lack of
00:17:57
aviation expertise among MAHB's board
00:18:01
members further complicating efforts to
00:18:04
drive meaningful improvements
00:18:06
recognizing the need for change Malaysia
00:18:09
moved to privatize
00:18:11
MAHB in February 2025 with a consortium
00:18:16
led by Kazana EPF and global
00:18:19
infrastructure partners taking over
00:18:22
however many remain skeptical about
00:18:24
whether this move will be enough to
00:18:26
reverse KIA's decline despite GIP's
00:18:30
experience managing major airports in
00:18:32
the UK and Australia its track record
00:18:36
does not place these airports among the
00:18:38
world's best gatwick and Sydney for
00:18:41
instance ranked 48th and 55th in the
00:18:45
2024 Skyras ratings far behind
00:18:48
Singapore's Changi Airport in second
00:18:51
place while the privatization deal
00:18:53
offers hope for a shift in direction the
00:18:56
real test will be whether the new
00:18:58
management structure can overcome the
00:19:01
systemic issues that have hindered KIA's
00:19:05
growth only time will tell if the
00:19:07
infusion of expertise and capital from
00:19:10
the consortium can rejuvenate KIA and
00:19:13
elevate it to the level of its regional
00:19:16
counterparts so is Changi Airport
00:19:19
superior to KIA the answer seems clear
00:19:22
changi Airport offers the complete
00:19:25
package cuttingedge design top tier
00:19:28
amenities and a commitment to relentless
00:19:30
innovation kia while a solid hub with
00:19:34
its own unique charm is still playing
00:19:36
catch-up to Changi Airport but it's not
00:19:39
just KIA that Malaysia is trailing
00:19:42
behind Singapore in malaysia Airlines
00:19:45
the country's national carrier has been
00:19:48
on a steady decline while Singapore
00:19:50
Airlines continues to rack up accolades
00:19:53
and maintain its place as one of the
00:19:55
world's top carriers but why the stark
00:19:58
contrast watch this video to find out
![[Syntax] Introduction and Glossing](https://ruhnrawpgxrzdrgaohnf.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/video/OBGA9DZT6Ns/thumbnail.jpg)
