ALOR SETAR, July 9 — The Kedah government needs to prove the financial sustainability of its proposal to implement the Kulim International Airport (KXP) project, said Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.

He said the capability of private sector investments to sustain the project over the long term should be considered to ensure the airport development would not be abandoned.

"It is all right to talk about sustainability in terms of the environment. But nowadays financial sustainability has also become a focus. We have to make sure that everything we do is financially sustainable. Otherwise, it will become a burden in the future.

"My focus is to ensure projects can achieve financial sustainability to function properly on a private sector basis without the need for support from the government, whether state or federal, in the future.

"I think any project with financial sustainability and which benefits the people should not be a problem to any government. Our fear is that a project may appear okay on the surface but would create concerns about financial sustainability on further scrutiny,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, Rafizi participated in an engagement and roadshow session on the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-term Research Preparation 2021 to 2025 here, which was also attended by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

Muhammad Sanusi was reported as saying earlier that the state government hoped the federal government would consider allowing it to implement the KXP project.

Meanwhile, Rafizi said efforts to empower padi farmers to transition to a five-season cultivation within two years would take priority in the federal government’s development plans for the Kedah padi industry.

"Allocations are needed to ensure padi farmers in Kedah can transition to a five-season planting within two years. Farmers can’t just go and do it on their own; it needs irrigation and infrastructure and this requires (government) allocations,” he said. — Bernama