IPOH, Dec 22 — The plan to develop an international airport in Perak is subject to the results of the Ministry of Transport’s National Airports Strategic Plan (NASP) study, which is currently being carried out for all 42 existing airports nationwide, said Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

He said that the study was still ongoing and was expected to be finalised on September 7, 2023.

"It focuses on the forecast demand for passenger and cargo services, as well as the commitment of airlines which want to use the existing airports,” he said, when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks on the royal address of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, at the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.

Saarani (Barisan Nasional-Kota Tampan) said that the construction of a new airport will increase the economic spillover in Perak, and that the sale and purchase agreement for the said land has already been signed.

Previously, Saarani was reported to have said that the land proposed to be developed as an international airport in Seri Iskandar was sold to a private company during the administration of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.

He said that during the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, the land was reserved for the Perak State Development Corporation for the purpose of building the airport.

Meanwhile, Saarani also said that the audit was carried out by the Audit Committee, for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of the non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) mining pilot project in the state, especially in Hulu Perak, which was started on 87 hectares (216 acres) of land on December 16.

"The findings of the audit for the first round of extraction from mining activities show that the activities are carried out in a controlled manner, in compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set, and there is no negative impact on the environment,” he said.

He said that at the federal level, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) has appointed the Perak Department of Minerals and Geosciences (JMG) as a monitoring agency to ensure compliance with the NR-REE SOPs. — Bernama