Thursday March 25, 2010
Ong: Airports to be upgraded
AT THE DEWAN RAKYAT
Reports by ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN, ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD AND YENG AI CHUN
The Government has allocated RM250mil to upgrade the Bayan Lepas airport, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said.
He told Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam) that the authorities had identified the problems affecting the airport and rectification works were being carried out.
“The allocation to carry out repairs and upgrading works at the Penang airport has been given out. Maybe you have not read the Hansard on the matter,” Ong added.
The MP had asked whether the Government would upgrade Bayan Lepas Airport since it was considered one of the country’s international gateways.
Earlier, Ong told Datuk Wan Abd Rahim Wan Abdullah (PAS -Kota Baru) that the ministry was currently negotiating with the Finance Ministry on the financing of upgrading works at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Kota Baru.
He said work on the airport would begin in June and was expected to be completed by October 2011.
Ong was replying to Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (PAS - Tumpat), who had asked whether the airport runway would be lengthened.
“I was told by pilots, especially from AirAsia, that the Airbus 330 is heavier than the Boeing 737. They said the runway is short, and this might give problems to pilots trying to land their aircraft there. We are also concerned about the safety of passengers,” Kamaruddin said.
Ong replied that the ministry had already included the lengthening of the runway in the overall upgrading of the airport.
“The length will be increased from 1.98km to 2.4km to accommodate the landing of more types of commercial aircraft,” he added.
SOURCE: THE STAR ~ 25-03-2010
Sumber: The Star ~ 25-03-2010
