Guan Eng: We need to find other ways to expand Penang airport

Finance minister says federal government’s finances are extremely limited.

Former Penang CM Lim Guan Eng says the airport saw 7.2 million passengers last year, which was beyond its current capacity of 6.5 million passengers.

GEORGE TOWN: The federal government has to find other methods to finance the expansion of the Penang International Airport, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

He said this was because the federal government had no money, all of which had been “taken by certain people”.

The former Penang chief minister said a proposal to expand the Penang airport had already been mooted and he hoped the project will be carried out early next year.

“The expansion project and any allocations have yet to be approved. So we need to find other means to fund the project because the federal government’s finances are extremely limited.

“We are now waiting for a project paper to be tabled to Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), the transport ministry and the finance ministry.

“So, after the project paper has already been submitted, along with several proposals on how to fund the project, we hope the airport expansion can take off,” he said in his speech at the opening of the Jelutong parliamentary service centre on Lorong Perak here today.

Present were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim and Batu Lanchang assemblyman Ong Ah Teong.

Guan Eng said the airport had already seen 7.2 million passengers last year, which was beyond its current capacity of 6.5 million passengers.

“I think this year, the number of passengers will come up to between 7.7 million and 7.8 million.

“It (the situation at the airport) will become worse than a night market, which is why we really need the expansion.”

Guan Eng had made an unexpected appearance at the opening of the service centre, and jokingly lamented how Rayer had not invited him to the function.

“Rayer has already forgotten me. I wish to remind him to not forget his old friend,” Guan Eng said, sending the guests present at the event into stitches.

Chow, who is also Tanjung MP, had recently asked the transport ministry when the airport expansion to increase the capacity to 12 million passengers will take place.

In a reply, its minister, Anthony Loke Siew Fook, said as a short-term measure, the ministry, through Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), is planning to implement optimisation measures at the terminal to reduce the congestion, especially during peak hours.

As a long-term measure, MAHB planned to increase the passenger handling capacity from 6.5 million passengers a year to 12 million passengers a year. It was now in the process of appointing a consultant through an open tender.

As for the details on the project’s overall costs, this was subject to detailed studies which would be carried out by the appointed consultant. -FMT