PENANG Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has urged the federal government to allow the state’s airport to continue its expansion works.

Work was meant to start in June to cater to the Penang International Airport’s increased passenger load, from 6.5 million to 8.5 million.

But its suspension was announced recently by Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong, pending a study on the National Airports Strategy Plan (NASP) due for completion in 2023.

Urging the ministry to keep its promise, Chow said, it is already agreed that the expansion work is needed.

“The ministry and Malaysia Airports Bhd had agreed to upgrade the airport, and they should do as promised as the need is critical,” Chow told The Malaysian Insight.

“The NASP study will only be completed by 2023, but the upgrades to the airport have already been approved. We urge the federal government to deal with the Penang airport separately.”

In late May, Chow said he expected a delay to the work for six months to a year at the most, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But a delay until 2023 is longer than expected, he said.

“If they insist on completing the study first, we can only continue advocating for the Penang airport to be exempted.

“This is a time sensitive matter.”

The expansion work will cost some RM800 million and will accommodate a passenger capacity of 12 million. It will also add to the number of aircraft parking bays, from 13 to 21.

The airport’s expansion was announced in the 2020 national budget by the Pakatan Harapan government. Work was scheduled to start in June and completed in 2024.

Former Penang chief minister and finance minister Lim Guan Eng had described the freeze by the federal government as an “act of political revenge” on the DAP-led state.

Asked about Lim’s comment, Chow said: “We all have our separate opinions.” – August 22, 2020.