Putrajaya to speed up funding approval for Penang International Airport expansion, says PM Anwar

SEBERANG PERAI, Feb 16 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to speed up funding approval for the expansion of the Penang International Airport (PIA).

He said the government has already approved the state’s application for the PIA to be expanded.

“Penang is a popular tourist destination and the airport is congested,” he said in his speech at the Penang Strengthening Connectivity and Entrepreneurial Development Carnival at Politeknik Seberang Prai here today.

He said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had briefed him that the PIA expansion project will only kick off at the end of this year.

“I am dissatisfied. I will discuss this in the Cabinet meeting next Wednesday to see if we can speed up funding for the project,” he said.

He said the project will take two to three years to complete so they need to speed up the funding for it to start soon.

Last October, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government had approved RM93 million to fund land acquisition and infrastructure development for the PIA expansion.

He reportedly said Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is evaluating the capital and financial resources required for the project.

Loke said the project is scheduled to start in September this year and is expected to take 48 months to complete.

The PIA currently has a capacity of 6.5 million passengers and the expansion will increase its capacity to 12 million passengers annually.

Meanwhile, Anwar said there is a need to raise digital literacy among the people, especially those in the lower income group.

He said this is the way to close the gap between the elites and the poor.

“In order to improve digital literacy and ensure successful implementation of all government programmes, I have instructed all department heads to submit reports on all programmes that were implemented,” he said.

He said it is important to have monthly reports on what was done so that they know the effectiveness of the programmes.

“For example, this carnival, I expect a full report on this carnival by early March or the latest April,” he said.