Penang's LCCT to be built through public-private partnership

Penang will soon have a low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) to boost its airport performance as the federal government is seeking new ways to expand the airport capacity.

"Lack of funds is one of the reasons why Putrajaya is seeking a partnership with the private sector like Air Asia to work on the airport expansion as soon as possible", said Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"This involves the building of an LCCT as soon as possible," the former Penang chief minister added.

Lim said the Penang International Airport's expansion project was necessary as the airport had recorded 7.1 million passengers last year.

The maximum capacity for the airport is about 6.5 million per year, he added.

"In June this year, it is learnt that the passenger capacity has increased by 10 percent.

"However, the airport expansion project involving Putrajaya and Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) lacks funds.

"Therefore we are exploring new public-private partnership projects so that our development plans can be implemented although the government lacks the funds to do so," he quipped.

The DAP Air Putih assemblyperson said this in his debate on the speech of Penang governor Abdul Rahman Abbas in the state legislative assembly today.

Lim's remarks follow Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandez's courtesy visit to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow at his office in Komtar.

Explaining national issues

Also in his speech today, Lim tried to explain why certain plans in the Harapan manifesto, like the abolishment of tolls, cannot be implemented yet as the federal government lacks funds.

He reminded the House about the RM1 trillion debt and liabilities left by the previous BN government and how the current administration was dealing with the after-effects of the 1MDB scandal.

At one point, house speaker Law Choo Kiang remarked that he felt as if he was in Parliament.

To this, Lim replied that he had to explain the current situation in the federal government as some promises in Pakatan Harapan's manifesto could not be fulfilled. - Mkini