Pusat mahu majukan P. Pinang hab penting rantau

Najib Tun Razak tertarik dengan model wajah baru Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas semasa menghadiri majlis pecah tanah bangunan terminal baru di Pulau Pinang, semalam. Beliau diberi penerangan oleh Pengarah Urusan Malaysia Airport, Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad sambil diperhatikan oleh Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha (dua dari kanan) dan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (kanan). - bernama

PULAU PINANG 20 Dis. - Kerajaan Persekutuan akan memajukan Pulau Pinang sebagai hab terpenting di rantau ini bagi merancakkan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara, kata Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Perdana Menteri berkata, untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut, sebanyak 10 projek infrastruktur dikenal pasti sedang dan bakal dilaksanakan di negeri ini.
Katanya, projek berkenaan termasuk pembesaran Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas, Pelabuhan Pulau Pinang, Jambatan Pulau Pinang, pembinaan Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang dan mewujudkan Koridor Multimedia.

''Strategi pembangunan yang dilaksanakan di Pulau Pinang termasuk pembesaran lapangan terbang bukan sahaja mampu mewujudkan rangsangan terhadap ekonomi negara malahan akan menyaksikan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan dapat ditawarkan.
''Ini antara usaha kita bagi mencapai matlamat untuk menjadikan Pulau Pinang sebagai sebuah hab pilihan di rantau ini.

"Usaha ini amat penting dilaksanakan kerana ia mampu memberikan impak tinggi kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi negara," katanya ketika berucap pada majlis pecah tanah terminal baru Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas sini hari ini.
Projek bernilai RM250 juta itu dijadual siap sepenuhnya pada Jun 2012.
Menurut Perdana Menteri, kerja naik taraf berkenaan merupakan satu langkah ke hadapan untuk menjadikan Pulau Pinang sebagai sebuah destinasi pilihan bukan sahaja dari segi pelaburan malahan pelancongan.
Jelas beliau, ia amat penting kerana perhubungan merupakan satu wahana komunikasi utama bagi pembangunan sesebuah negara terutama pada masa ini.

''Sehingga November tahun ini, pergerakan penumpang di 39 lapangan terbang di seluruh negara meningkat 13.7 peratus iaitu sebanyak 52.1 juta penumpang. "Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas sendiri menyaksikan peningkatan sebanyak 26.4 peratus iaitu sebanyak 3.7 juta penumpang dalam tempoh sama.

''Daripada statistik tersebut, apa yang dilihat, kerja-kerja menaik taraf lapangan terbang ini mampu menyokong objektif negara untuk meningkatkan pendapatan pelancongan daripada RM53 bilion tahun lalu kepada RM168 bilion menjelang 2020," katanya.Menurut beliau, peruntukan kerajaan juga sentiasa diagihkan mengikut perspektif nasional iaitu apa yang baik untuk masyarakat secara keseluruhannya.

SOURCE: Utusan Malaysia | 21 December 2010 |

State to get more flights from Macau and China

MALACCA: The Malacca International Airport in Batu Berendam is greeting its maiden arrival of a Boeing 737-500 flight carrying 120 passengers recently.It is the first Riau Air flight of this capacity. The airline has been been operating daily flights between Pekan Baru in Indonesia and Malacca using the Fokker 50, carrying 50 passengers, since early this year. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the state government would work at getting more special flights from Macau and China to Malacca.

Busier times ahead: Filepic is showing a small passenger aircraft arriving from Indonesia at the Malacca International Airport.

 

He said the state was expected to receive as many as 10 million tourists compared with 8.9 million last year. Up to October this year, he said Malacca had seen 7.8 million tourist arrivals and another 2.2 million were expected in the final two months of 2010.

“The number of tourists has risen considerably since Malacca was declared a World Heritage Site in July 2008,” he said in his speech at the ‘Session with Eminent Personalities’ organised by the Institute of Management and Integrity (Inspim) Malacca recently. Also present was guest-of-honour Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

The international airport was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in February following upgrading works involving its terminal facilities and runway. Covering 7,000sqm, the airport’s new terminal has facilities to handle domestic and international flights and can handle 1.5 million passengers annually.

Dr Ng told a news conference later that Malacca received an allocation of RM157.2mil for a two-year period under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP), which was 46% of the total allocation of RM340mil under the tourism implementation programme.

“This allocation is in recognition of Malacca’s importance as a prime tourist destination,” she said. At the same function, Dr Ng also announced five main projects under 10MP, which included upgrading of facilities at the Ayer Keroh Botanical Park costing RM30mil, developing the Tasik Chin Chin area in Jasin (RM25mil) and building infrastructure for the cable car in Bandar Hilir (RM49mil).The two others are the monorail phase two project along Sungai Malacca (RM13.2mil) and the development of the Hang Tuah village along the Duyung River (RM40mil).

Meanwhile, Mohd Ali said Malacca planned to hold a Baba-Nyonya International Festival for the first time next year to attract more tourists to the state.He said the Casa del Rio boutique hotel in Bandar Hilir, expected to be ready by April 2011, would be the main venue for the festival showcasing the culture, traditions, fashion and food of the Baba-Nyonya community.

Organised with the cooperation of the Tourism Ministry, the festival will also invite the participation of Penang, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand which also have such a community. — Bernama

SOURCE: The Star Online (South & East) | 6 December 2010 |   

26-08-10: Fuel depot facilities to be built at Malacca International Airport

Thursday August 26, 2010

Fuel depot facilities to be built at Malacca International Airport

BY CINDY TAN
malacca@thestar.com.my

MALACCA: Efforts to fully utilise the Malacca International Airport in Batu Berendam received a much-needed boost following plans to build fuel depot facilities at the airport.Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said work on the depot is scheduled to begin next month and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

“The State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) has started a joint venture through Malacca Oil and Gas Sdn Bhd to oversee the completion of the project,” he said after officiating the Melaka Maju 2010 Seminar at MITC in Ayer Keroh.

He added that at the moment, the airport can only cater to the refuelling of smaller planes such as Fokkers and ATR aircrafts capable of transporting 40 and 72 passengers.“We hope that with the completion of the refuelling depot we can see the arrival of larger aircrafts such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 and more international flights,” he said, adding that he hoped that Eastern China Airlines could introduce chartered flights to China five times a month.

Earlier, Mohd Ali had proposed for the Eastern China Airlines to ply their route here from September but the plan had hit a snag as there were no refuelling facilities for larger airplanes.“We hope the airlines can start as soon as the refuelling depot is completed,” he said.The airport had undergone a RM131mil project to extend the runway with a second extension and upgrading works carried out to enable it to cater to Boeing 737A and Airbus 320A.

Covering and area of 7,000sq m, the Batu Berendam airport’s new terminal has facilities for domestic and international flights and can handle about 1.5 million passengers annually.

Source: The Star Online (South & East), 26 August 2010.

28-07-10: Rep fears Malacca airport becoming ‘white elephant’

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Rep fears Malacca airport becoming ‘white elephant’

MALACCA: An opposition assemblyman has raised the fear that the recently extended RM190mil Melaka International Airport would become a “white elephant” if it is not fully-utilised.

Khoo Poay Tiong (DAP-Ayer Keroh) expressed this concern after the legislative assembly was told that the state government intends to set up Syarikat Melaka Air Sdn Bhd to operate low-cost flights from the airport in Batu Berendam.

“Is Melaka Air being formed because no other airline wants to come to this international airport?” he asked, saying that there were only daily flights by Wings Air and Indonesian-based Riau Airlines.He added that budget airline Firefly had only operated two chartered flights here between May and July.

“I am worried that the airport will end up being a white elephant as there are only three airlines operating here, with one operating just chartered flights.” He reminded the House that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam had said in August 2008 that low-cost carrier AirAsia would use the airport.

In his reply, state Transport, Information and Consumerism committee chairman R. Perumal said Melaka Air would be managed by state-owned Perbadanan Melaka Holdings.He said the aim of forming the company was to attract more tourists to the state, in particular those coming for the health and recreational tourism sectors.

Khoo was later suspended by Speaker Datuk Othman Moha­mad from taking part in proceedings after he refused repeated orders to sit down.Earlier, the Opposition had attempted to table a motion on the Krubong landfill issue.

“I have asked you to sit down more than three times and you have disobeyed my order. “You are hereby suspended from taking part in proceedings when it resumes tomorrow,” Othman told Khoo who was also involved in a verbal spat with Hasan Abdul Rahman (Sungai Rambai-BN) and Datuk Ab Wahab Ab Latip (Durian Tunggal-BN) over Hasan’s remark against Betty Chew Gek Cheng (Kota Laksamana-DAP).

SOURCE: The Star Online (South & East), 28 July 2010. 

20-11-2010: Caj perkhidmatan dikurang RM25

Caj perkhidmatan dikurang RM25
Oleh Faridzwan Abdul Ghafar
faridzwan@bharian.com.my
2010/11/20

Khusus untuk penerbangan antarabangsa

KUALA LUMPUR: Caj perkhidmatan bagi penumpang antarabangsa di beberapa lapangan terbang negara ini akan dikurangkan daripada RM51 kepada RM26, mulai 1 Disember depan.

Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, berkata pengurangan caj berkenaan adalah khusus untuk penerbangan antarabangsa secara terus ke destinasi yang terletak di negara anggota ASEAN.

Katanya, lapangan terbang yang terbabit dengan pengurangan caj perkhidmatan penumpang antarabangsa itu ialah lapangan terbang di Alor Setar, Bintulu, Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Bharu, Kuantan, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Limbang, Melaka, Miri, Mulu, Pangkor, Redang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tawau dan Tioman.

“Pengurangan caj itu bertujuan meningkatkan penerbangan antarabangsa secara terus ke lapangan terbang bukan utama di rantau ASEAN,” katanya dalam kenyataan media di sini, semalam.

Cho Ha berkata, pengurangan caj perkhidmatan itu dibuat atas dasar semangat ASEAN dan sebahagian daripada proses liberalisasi perkhidmatan pengangkutan udara rantau ASEAN.

“Melalui pelaksanaan langkah ini, ia akan menambah nilai kepada integrasi ASEAN dan menyuntik faktor positif terhadap sektor pengangkutan udara dan pertumbuhan sektor pelancongan negara,” katanya.

Source / Sumber: Berita Harian Online (20-11-2010)

01-11-2010: Boost for Sibu airport

Monday November 1, 2010 

Boost for Sibu airport

By ANDY CHUA
andychua@thestar.com.my

WORK on the Sibu Airport extension project costing RM136.8mil started in the middle of September and is expected to be completed in two years. Project director Dr Shafie Karimin of KLIA Consultancy Services Sdn Bhd, in his briefing, said the project, which was 2% completed as of Oct 24, would be able to accommodate international flights when completed.

Among those present at the briefing were Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, Housing and Urban Development Assistant Minister Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck, Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King and his deputy Daniel Ngieng.

Phase One of the project, he added, involved the upgrading and extending of the terminal building from 8,040m to 15,240m, building of four aerobridges, increasing the check-in counter from eight units to 18, adding another baggage handling unit for inbound passengers, installing an air-conditioning system in the terminal building, constructing of a utility centre building, security control building including engineering office and a workshop, and the installation of an electrical and mechanical system and a computer control system management building.

As for Phase 2, he said the work would cover the extension of aircraft parking bays to accommodate an additional two helicopters, two public aircraft, three small aircraft and two Boeing aircraft. The parking lots for vehicles would be increased from 200 to 500 lots.

This project, when completed, would cater to air traffic for the next 20 to 30 years. The number of passengers recorded at the airport is about 800,000 annually. “By 2016, we estimate that the number will increase to 1.06 million, 1.4 million by 2031 and 1.8 million by 2056, he added last Friday.

During peak hours, he said the airport could handle 900 passengers and one big and two small aircraft at any one time.The airport runway is presently 745m long and 45m wide and the maximum capacity of its parking bays is three units of Boeing 737, Airbus 330 or Airbus 320 and two units of the DHC-6 Twin Otter.

Source / Sumber: The Star Online

24-09-2010: Sibu Airport RM136mil expansion now on

Friday September 24, 2010

Sibu Airport RM136mil expansion now on

By TIENG KING MIO
sarawakstar@thestar.com.my

EXPANSION work, costing RM136.88mil to the Sibu Airport will be implemented soon.
Second Finance Minister Datuk Sri Wong Soon Koh said the handing over of the site to the successful bidder Musyati Sdn Bhd, a local company, was performed on Sept 13.

“Currently, the contractor is in the midst of constructing its office at the site,” he told a press conference in Sibu yesterday.Wong, also Environment and Public Utilities Minister, said the project would be in two packages and implemented simultaneously.

On paper: The plan for expansion works on Sibu Airport. St Thomas to hold parish sale to raise money.
 

Package 1 will consist of the extension works on existing passenger terminal building, central utilities building and associated works, costing RM84,444 while package 2 comprised works on airside and landside works, the DCA building and associated works, costing RM52,444, he added. He said the whole project, funded by the Ministry of Transport, was expected to be completed in 24 months’.

Apart from the expansion works, he added Sibu Airport had earlier also undergone extension works on its tracks, costing RM70mil which was completed two years ago.As a result, the airport could now accommodate bigger aircraft such as Airbus, he added.


Source / Sumber: The Star Online