PETALING JAYA: The Transport Ministry and the Penang government are unaware of a proposal to build a new airport in Penang, following reports that two companies had offered to construct two airports in the north.
The ministry said it had never discussed such a proposal with any party or received any proposal paper on the projects.
“The power to build or operate an aerodrome or to allow any licensed company to build, maintain and operate an aerodrome is vested in the transport minister under Act 3 of the Civil Aviation Act,“ it said in a statement.
The ministry said it plans to upgrade the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the government welcomes any proposal to develop a new airport in the state or region, but it is in the dark over the proposal reported by a newspaper today.
“The Penang state government wants to reiterate our earlier position that any new airport proposal must not jeopardise the role and function of the Penang International Airport at Bayan Lepas and the future development of the state.
“The economy of Penang and its people must benefit from any such proposals,“ he said in a statement.
Chow said the state government would wait for the proposals to be presented and provide its feedback thereafter.
He added the state government would also be going ahead with the plan to commission a study on the future needs of an airport in the state and surrounding regions.
The English daily reported that a company proposed to build the North Malaysia International Airport (NMIA) while the other’s proposed the Northern Region International Airport (NORIA) at two different locations in south Seberang Prai on Penang’s mainland.
The report also said that one of the companies had submitted their proposal to the federal government while the another is expected to follow suit soon.
