Study on Kulim International Airport proposal not finalised - Loke

 

PARLIAMENT | The National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP) study pertaining to the proposed development of the Kulim International Airport is not yet finalised.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said his ministry has also not received any official application to build an aerodrome for the Kedah Aerotropolis project.

In this regard, he said there was no question of the government rejecting the proposed development of the project.

“The approval by the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) prior to this was given only in principle whereby there needs to be a follow-up application to the Transport Ministry for the aerodrome,” he said during the question and answer session in Parliament today.

Loke was replying to a supplementary question by Azman Nasrudin (Perikatan Nasional-Padang Serai) on the latest development of the NASP study on the Kedah International Airport and Kedah Aerotropolis.

Responding to Azman’s original question regarding the ministry’s role in ensuring the project continues, Loke said a series of discussions and meetings had been held with the Kedah state government to detail out the airport’s development proposal.

He said the ministry had informed the developers and the Kedah state government that the proposed KXP development project is subject to the NASP study.

“So far, the Kedah government submitted a letter, dated Jan 3, 2021, asking the ministry to give permission for the development of the Kedah International Airport and Kedah Aerotropolis project by giving an exception on the waiting period for the completion of the NASP study or using the findings of previous preliminary study data as the interim NASP,” he said.

Loke said applications for aerodrome development projects including airports in Malaysia must be made in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act 1969 and related regulations.

He said the ministry was always open to development proposals from state governments or private investors that bring about economic benefits, competitiveness and also for sustainable development.

- Bernama