SABAH Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the state government must do something about the poor condition of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) as its operator has not taken any action despite repeated complaints.
“KKIA is the second largest airport in the country. Having an international airport with poor facilities is unacceptable. It is very embarrassing when thousands of tourists arrive at our shores only to be greeted by insufficient services.
“Sabah is a favoured destination for domestic and international tourists,” she said.
Liew said it was just a matter of time for the airport to exceed its maximum capacity, adding it had already hit its limit of nine million passengers before the pandemic in 2019.
She said KKIA has long been plagued by issues with its lighting, air conditioning, toilets, baggage trolleys, carousels and public announcement system.
The space inside the airport was not fully utilised, Liew added.
“The existing facilities are inadequate … and in urgent need of refurbishment,” said Liew, adding that her ministry’s repeated requests for upgrades had not been properly handled.
Liew said a state government-linked firm should operate the airport, and that she had raised the issue to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, who agreed KKIA needs improvements.
“With improved air connectivity and increased weekly flight frequency, coupled with chartered flights, we are likely to exceed the 2.2 million (tourist) target set for 2023. Sabah aims to have 2.8 million visitor arrivals in 2024,” she said.
Liew backed calls for a new international airport in Tuaran, saying it would be a better location than Kimanis, the initial location proposed for a new hub.
“Tuaran is about 40km from the state capital while Kimanis is about 80 km from Kota Kinabalu.”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during his visit to Sabah recently, said he would consider building a new KKIA terminal in view of the state’s growing tourism sector.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd recently announced RM19.4 million was allocated to upgrade KKIA and the Tawau airport, with RM8.4 million set aside for the international airport. – The Vibes, December 14, 2023.
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