KUANTAN, Aug 16 — The Transport Ministry (MoT) is ready to support the Pahang government’s plan to build the Kuantan International Airport (KIA), its minister Anthony Loke said.

However, the ministry has yet to receive any application for an Aerodrome Operator Licence from the project’s developers, a crucial requirement before the airport’s construction can proceed, he said.

"Once the licence application is submitted, the ministry will conduct a traffic study to assess whether the proposed location is suitable as part of the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP).

"This project is a private investment, not an initiative under the Ministry of Transport. Our role is to facilitate the process. The developers must first obtain approval from the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC).

"After that, any company or developer must apply for an aerodrome licence from MoT. This is the standard procedure applicable to all parties. As of now, I understand they (developers) are still in the process of applying for the licence, and once received, the ministry will proceed with the necessary steps,” he said.

Loke told reporters this when asked about the KIA project after attending the Kuantan Port International Conference 2024 in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Kuantan Port at the Sultan Ahmad Shah International Convention Centre here yesterday.

The project, which was initially slated to begin last year and expected to be operational by 2026, has yet to commence construction.

Loke acknowledged the Pahang government’s wish to develop the new airport, considering that the current Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport is situated on land owned by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM), posing certain limitations.

"The Pahang government has long expressed its wish to establish a dedicated civil aviation airport. The existing airport faces constraints due to its shared runway with the Air Force.

"In the long term, building a dedicated civil airport would be beneficial and contribute to Pahang’s development as it would serve as a gateway to the East Coast,” he said.

The plan to build the airport was first announced by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail in October 2021, with the NPPC initially approving it in principle, pending a comprehensive study by the state government.

On July 6, 2022, Wan Rosdy said the RM2 billion airport would be part of an aerospace city development in Gebeng, spanning 5,042 hectares, which is expected to be a catalyst for Pahang’s economic growth. — Bernama