THE Penang International Airport (PIA) expansion project has been given the nod to proceed by the Ministry of Transport (MoT) back in August last year, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
“The MoT has approved the execution of the PIA expansion project (with a capacity of 12 million passengers per annum) as well as the airspace study for the northern region, back in August 2019.
“The Penang government obtained two progress reports from the Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) – dated Jan 30 and March 9 this year – pertaining to the airport expansion project.
“That was before the change of the Federal Government. The Penang government has not received any written update on the project after that.
“According to the latest update that we received, MAHB had approved the appointment of consultants for the project on Feb 15, 2019.
“The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has also approved the planning permission for the airport expansion project,” Chow told a press conference in Komtar today.
Chow said that the PIA expansion project was nether cancelled nor postponed when Pakatan Harapan was the Federal Government.
He said that the ministry had stated that it is now conducting a review before making any decision (on development of airports and short take-off landing airports in the country).
It was reported that any proposal for a new airport development, including for the upgrading and expansion of the PIA, would only be considered after the National Airports Strategic Plan (NASP) study has been finalised. It was also reported that the study is scheduled to be completed in 2023, in line with the National Transport Policy.
Chow said that the ministry had initially mentioned the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason that impacted the PIA expansion project; and now, the ministry stated the National Airports Strategic Plan (NASP) study as the reason.
He said that the stand taken by the Penang government is clear.
“We hope that the PIA expansion project will be excluded from the NASP study because it has already reached an advanced stage of preparedness to implement the project.
“When Pakatan Harapan was the Federal Government, it was often told to shoulder the responsibility to make decisions and implement them.
“It has almost been six months since Perikatan Nasional wrested the Federal Government.
“Now that it is the Federal Government and Datuk Seri Dr Wee (Ka Siong) is the minister, it is their responsibility to implement what is required.
“It is a fact that the MoT has given its approval, and MAHB is prepared to implement the project,” Chow said.
He thanked Dr Wee for inviting him to a meeting to discuss the PIA expansion project.
“We will be meeting on Thursday (Aug 27) and I will be accompanied by the Penang State Secretary and representatives from the State Economic Planning Division (BPEN). We will be highlighting a few matters including the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project,” he said.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Alvie Cheng