GEORGE TOWN, June 16 — Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) joined its
political foes across the divide today in objecting to Kedah’s plan for
another international airport, saying the government should decide
instead on upgrading the busy Penang International Airport (PIA).
“The proposal by the Kedah state
government lacks facts and figures to justify for a new international
airport,” Penang BN chief Teng Chang Yeow said.
But the state opposition also disagreed with the Penang Pakatan
Rakyat (PR) government’s suggestion that the PIA first be expanded to
have two runways, a fully-integrated air cargo facility and a
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) aerospace hub, before Kedah can
proceed with its airport plans.
Commenting on the suggestion, Teng labelled it “unbelievable and unthinkable”.
“They
are saying Kedah can have their airport if PIA gets two runways, a
cargo facility and aerospace hub but this means they are giving away the
PIA’s international airport status,” he said.
The Penang Gerakan chief pointed out
that the authorities would not allow traffic movement between the two
airports in Penang and Kedah when they are sited so close to one
another.
Teng also insisted that PIA’s average
annual visitor arrivals of five million does not justify the need for
it to have two runways as Lim proposed.
“If we look at major international airports in the region like Hong
Kong, Singapore and Bangkok that have two runways, they handled 50
million passengers per year,” he said.
Last
week, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir proposed that an
international airport be built in Kulim, Kedah, to be a gateway to the
northern states and southern Thailand, while claiming Penang won’t have
enough space to expand it’s PIA.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
responded by opposing the proposal and pointing out that land of between
300 and 500 acres can be reclaimed on the south of the airport for an
expansion.
Lim went on to say that if Kedah
wants to build a new international airport that could cost about RM2
billion so near Penang, then PIA must first undergo massive expansion.
He proposed that PIA be expanded to have two
runways, a fully integrated air cargo facility as well as establish a
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) aerospace hub. If Kedah still
wants an airport, it is welcome to do so, Lim said.
Teng said that in the 1990s, the then
BN administration had objected to the proposal to build an
international airport in Kedah near Sungai Petani through land
reclamation.
Instead, he said the state successfully
averted the relocation and put in motion an expansion plan to PIA, which
was completed last year.
“There
were plans for a longer runway to cater for bigger aircraft and better
cargo facility through reclamation and acquisition of nearby land but
these plans stalled when PR took over in 2008 and the current state
government didn’t do anything after that,” he said.
He warned Penang that it will only
stand to lose in the long run if the state government fails to plan the
airport expansion for the future of Penang.