GEORGE TOWN – The decision to halt the expansion of the Penang International Airport (PIA) will impede the state’s tourism development and economic recovery.
Penang Tourism and Creative Economy executive councillor Yeoh Soon Hin was displeased with Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong’s decision to stop expansion plans until 2025.
Wee cited that the aviation industry needs to recover to pre-pandemic levels before work can be resumed.
“This is another proof that justifies the lack of foresight in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s cabinet.
“The winning formula here is to plan in advance. As nations across the globe start to mull the full recovery of tourism, postponing our expansion plan will significantly reduce tourist traffic due to insufficient space to accommodate flights, domestically and internationally.
“PIA is one of the important gateways to destinations in Southeast Asia. Without this expansion, PIA will not have adequate capacity to host the potential influx of international flights, which will also harm the entire tourism ecosystem, including cruise tourism,” he said in a statement.
He also said that this is the best time to expand, especially when there are fewer incoming flights and tourist arrivals.
During the winding up speech on the 12th Malaysia Plan in Parliament yesterday, Wee said that the cash flow has given the government no choice but to reschedule the RM1.2 billion expansion.
The expansion project was originally scheduled to begin early last year, but plans were thwarted by the emergence of Covid-19. However, Wee said the government will look to address other issues such as land acquisition surrounding PIA while waiting for the industry to recover.
PIA is the third busiest airport in the country, racking up 6.5 million passengers per annum in 2018. The expansion is seeking to double the capacity to 12 million passengers per annum. – The Vibes, October 6, 2021
