Transport Ministry mulls upgrade to Miri Airport's status

MIRI: The Transport Ministry is planning to upgrade Miri Airport to international status.

This is in view of an increase in the number of passengers and international flights using the facility.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said for start, the ministry would expand Miri Airport to handle four million passengers annually, at a cost of about RM285 million.

"The proposed project is awaiting approval from the Finance Ministry and given the greenlight, it would be implemented next year," he told reporters here today.

He had earlier launched a RM68 million apron expansion and provision of covered walkways at Miri Airport. The work was completed in February this year.

Liow said Miri Airport was designed to handle two million passengers, but last year, exceeded the capacity with 2.3 million using it.

"Upgrading Miri Airport to the Miri International Airport is not much of a problem as it has several features to be one, like immigration counters and flights coming in from Singapore," he added.

He said a key feature that needed improvement would be separate departure and arrival halls which the airport does not currently have.

Liow said the ministry had to address the expansion proposal urgently as the airport is also being used as hub for the Rural Air Services (RAS).

Meanwhile, in his speech at the launch, he said, the government had agreed to raise the subsidy for the Rural Air Services (RAS) from RM160 million to RM190 million annually from 2018.

He said Maswings Sdn Bhd now handled more than 500 flights weekly to 49 destinations for the RAS.

Source: Bernama | 22 Apr. 2016