SERI ISKANDAR, July 28 — Perak is expected to get a new international airport here in five years.
Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, said that the project will be carried out by a London-based company Colebrand International Limited via a private funding initiative (PFI).
“The company has met the Prime Minister’s Office, Transport Ministry, and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad over the project, as well as informed the Perak Sultan.
“So a briefing was conducted at the Perak Tengah Land and Mines Department on the airport project today and the company will be given a tour of the proposed airport site,” he told a press conference at Perak Tengah Land and Mines Department here.
Mohammad Nizar said that the company, which specialises in major infrastructure construction, will give its feedback on the newly identified airport site after the tour.
“During the briefing earlier, numerous questions were raised regarding the timeline of the project and various aspects of the airport. Many suggestions were given as to what the airport’s facilities should be. God willing, we will study everything,” he said.
Mohammad Nizar said that the newly identified land for the airport is located near Felcra Nasaruddin here with an area of 1,618 hectares.
He said that the land is partly owned by Felcra, the State Secretary of the Corporation and the Perak government.
“The previously suggested land involved a lot of villages and cemeteries, and it caused various problems.
“This newly suggested land does not involve any illegal encroachments and any other problems that could burden the state government,” he said.
Mohammad Nizar assured that the new international airport will not have any negative impact on the existing Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh.
“The proposed new airport project will not compete with existing airports in the state and across the country. Instead, it will be mutually complementary,” he added.
Meanwhile, Colebrand International Limited general manager Farid Idrus said the airport development will be carried out in two phases.
“Firstly, our company will conduct a study over a period of six months to determine whether the allocated land meets the requirements of an international airport.
“After that, we will table the next course of action, or the study required, along with the participation of all stakeholders.
“Based on our experience, it will take around 60 months or five years to develop the airport. So, in the next five years, Perak will get a new airport,” he added.
When asked to divulge the estimated cost for the airport construction, Farid said it was premature to determine the amount at moment.
Last year, media reported that the land initially planned for an international airport in Seri Iskandar had been sold to a private company.
Saarani said the state government was unable to do anything about the land as the sale was made legally by the landowner, PKNP, to the private company.
