PUTRAJAYA – The Transport Ministry says the existing facilities at Penang International Airport can still handle cargo and passenger demand based on the findings of the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP) consultant.
The ministry said in a statement today it has no objection to the implementation of Kedah Aerotropolis MRO Centre of Excellence (Kaamroce) and Sidam Logistics Aerospace Manufacturing (SLAM) as part of a mixed development under the Kedah Aerotropolis, but currently, there is no need for the development of a new airport.
The ministry also urged the Kedah government to use the existing Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Alor Star or the Penang airport to support Kaamroce and SLAM in efforts to expedite its implementation.
The statement clarifies the government’s stance on the issue surrounding Kulim International Airport following claims that the federal government is being oppressive in budget distribution including on the development of the Kulim airport, which Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim refuted yesterday.
The Transport Ministry said currently it is conducting the NASP study which is expected to be completed by the end of this year that aims to determine the direction of airport development in Malaysia in terms of physical infrastructure development, airspace requirements, as well as its economic and strategic impacts, among other things, to ensure the development is implemented based on actual needs supported by valid and accurate data.
“(The Penang airport) currently still has sufficient capacity to handle any increase in passenger handling up to 20 million passengers per annum (mppa) until 2042.
“Thus, the construction of Kulim International Airport can only be considered after the (Penang airport) reaches the maximum capacity of 20 million mppa projected in 2042. It should be emphasised that so far, there is no proposal for private participation capable of financing the cost of the (Kulim airport) project,” said the ministry.
Comparing the Kulim airport cargo projection provided by KXP Airportcity and the Penang airport projection provided by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, the ministry said the proposed Kulim airport cargo projection was found to be quite high for a new airport, compared to the cargo projection at the already established Penang airport that has an extensive air connectivity network.
“Therefore, the ability of (the Kulim airport) as an international cargo airport based on the cargo projection provided by KXP Airportcity is debatable and unreliable,” it said.
Meanwhile, the ministry said the NASP findings noted that 92% of cargo handled at Kuala Lumpur International Airport was from passenger flight services through belly cargo, whereas only 8% of cargo was handled by full-fledged freighter services.
It clearly shows that the Kulim airport’s reliance on full cargo flight services will not give it a huge boost towards becoming a viable cargo airport as it needs to also rely on passenger flight services to transport cargo. – Bernama, July 1, 2023
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