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| Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (two, left ) presented taxi permit to a recipient at a ceremony at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport Saturday. Also present the airport's chairman Abdul Rashid Mamat (two, right) |
KOTA BHARU: Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP) in Pengkalan Chepa here, can become an international airport if there is continuous demand.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said LTSIP used to be an international airport but the operations had to be stopped after the service providers found that the response was poor.
"Prior to this, LTSIP was an international airport as there was a direct flight to Kota Bharu from Singapore, but it was stopped due to a lack of demand.
"This is a business issue, and if there is a demand, definitely LTSIP would have become an international airport," he told reporters after handing over permits to 13 taxi drivers for the LTSIP station here, today.
Mustapa, who is also Kelantan UMNO Liaison Committee chairman, also rejected allegations of several quarters that the absence of international flights at the airport was related to politics.
"It is not a political issue but a commercial one. Some people think there is an attempt to prevent LTSIP from becoming an international airport, whereas it has nothing to do with politics."
He said the Federal Government has approved an allocation to expand LTSIP with relevant works which are expected to start next year.
"We are still preparing the plans. Work to expand the airport may start next year at a cost of RM300 million to RM400 million," he added.
Source: Bernama | 17 Sept. 2016
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