GEORGE TOWN, February 24 – Penang state welcomes the Penang International Airport expansion project as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the 2023 Budget. We hope that with the expansion of the airport, it can cater to some 20 million passengers a year. The airport expansion will be able to boost the socio-economic development of the Northern Corridor states as well as Penang’s tourism and industry.
The Penang government will give its full support to the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) in the implementation of this project. We hope that the project can start this year and be completed in three years. Penang also welcomes the RM50mil allocation to help George Town and Melaka in heritage conservation works. We will work with the relevant ministry to finalise the best projects and programmes to be implemented in George Town.
The Federal Government last provided Penang with an allocation for heritage work was when George Town was listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Federal Government today has shown its concerns to Penang which has long been neglected. It is a good gesture from the Finance Minister for Penang, although, there are still many infrastructure projects that have to be implemented to help Penang overcome its development constraints. The state government will continue to work with the various ministries to obtain the approvals for our applications.
The Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) expressed his gratitude for the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, for the recent financial allocation towards the expansion of Penang International Airport under 2023 Budget. Yeoh said in a statement today that he had spoken previously with the Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook on the expansion plan of Penang International Airport.
In hopes that the airport expansion project can take-off immediately with the support of the federal government. PETACE has been actively engaging with various international airlines to develop direct flights to Penang, but the limitation of airport apron and passenger handling capacity has become a major hindrance to start new direct flight routes, which makes the 2023 Budget allocation for the airport expansion all the more crucial.
Penang State as the aviation hub of Northern Malaysia, Yeoh stated that the Penang International Airport plays a vital role in driving and promoting the tourism industry in Northern Malaysia. Therefore, he hopes that this budget can be approved in the third reading.
