Is Penang airport expansion on backburner for KXP, asks exco

GEORGE TOWN – Penang Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari has called on the federal government to clarify its decision with regard to the status of the Kulim International Airport (KXP) during the state assembly sitting today.

“Penang wants to know clearly what the federal government’s stand is in relation to the KXP.

“If the KXP is decided upon and approved, what happens to Penang International Airport’s (PIA) expansion project?” he asked in today’ session.

His question was based on Bersatu’s Afif Bahardin’s comments to The Vibes brought up during the sittings.

The former Penang exco had asked Penang to consider shutting down its international airport in Bayan Lepas to allow the proposed Kulim International Airport to assume its role as the air gateway into the northern region.

“Therefore, the federal government needs to clarify whether the KXP project has been approved by the federal government even though the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP) study has not yet been completed.

“From what I know, there are people from MCA that are also against the KXP, when their own president is the transport minister,” he added.

During the Perikatan Nasional administration, Zairil had said the expansion project, which was approved by the Pakatan Harapan administration, had been suspended.

Among the reasons given by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong then, he said, is that all related airport projects in Malaysia will be postponed in its entirety until the results of the NASP study are finalised.

“The expansion project is much needed because statistics show that the capacity of the PIA has long exceeded its capacity.

“In 2019, the number of passengers had reached 8.3 million people even though PIA’s capacity is only 6.5 million,” he said.

Zairil said that PIA is one of the most profitable airports for Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), with high passenger growth, handling the second largest cargo tonnage in the country. 

“It is a very important and critical airport in the northern region.

“Please don’t politicise the PIA, focus on what has been approved, and that is PIA’s expansion to 12 million passengers per annum,” he added. – The Vibes, September 2, 2021