‘Higher risks for Pasir Gudang port’

PETALING JAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke has taken to social media in a video to explain Malaysia’s stand on the Seletar Airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS).

He said the Pasir Gudang port would encounter higher risks due to the height that Singapore wants to set for the airport’s ILS.

“Even a crane will break the height limit. We can’t build tall buildings over Pasir Gudang if we allow that flight path,” Loke said in an infographic video posted on his Facebook page.

In the post, he called on Singapore to amend the disputed flight path for the southern-end entry to the airport and withdraw the announcement on the ILS approach that is due to come into force on Jan 3, 2019.

ILS is a precision runway approach to landing aid that helps aircraft land even in poor visibility.

Loke said if the ILS flight path were allowed, Malaysia would not be able to build tall buildings in Pasir Gudang with the port also subjected to higher risks and multiple restrictions.

“Previously, Seletar Airport did not use the ILS. Pilots could manoeuvre around obstacles and no height regulation was required around the flight path area.

“But now, it is compulsory to impose a height restriction for ILS. In this case, the affected area is as big as shown from Pasir Gudang up north to Ayer Tawar and almost to Kota Tinggi.

“Our position is clear, we are not against Seletar. But as far as the descending flight path is concerned, it cannot be over Pasir Gudang,” he said in the post.

The video explains why Malaysia was against the ILS, including the height buffer for the ILS flight path from Seletar Airport.

According to the video, Point 1 (3km away from Seletar Airport) cannot be higher than 54m, and the maximum height for Point 2 (6km away) is 145m.

Loke said on Monday that while he appreciated Singapore’s efforts at promoting transparency by releasing documents related to consultations held with Malaysia on Dec 4, the disclosure was “partial and selective with the primary aim of influencing public opinion”.

Malaysia’s Transport Ministry said yesterday it was a matter of principle not to release correspondence between both sides to address media queries and seek public support.

It said it would be useful for negotiations to be kept confidential to facilitate frank and constructive exchanges.

This followed a Dec 10 statement by Singapore’s Transport Ministry calling on Malaysia to publish all correspondence and records of discussion between both countries, and highlighted the records of the latest meeting on Nov 29 and 30.

Loke’s ministry also stated that at no time did CAAM (Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia) agree or give approval for the publication of the new ILS procedures for Seletar Airport.- Star