NIBONG TEBAL: The Penang government has promised to give its full cooperation by extending all the resources required by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to implement the Penang International Airport (PIA) expansion project.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he had asked all state government agencies especially the District and Land Office to facilitate the project implementation.
“Actually, MAHB has been making early preparations since 2018 (on PIA expansion) and it has been granted planning consent. With this announcement (Budget 2023), the state government team will give input and cooperate in implementing the project.
“I have also asked the government agencies involved to help in project facility works, including on land acquisition matters, as well as relocation of government quarters, traffic control tower and a Chinese national primary school near there,” he told reporters after officiating at the handing over of the Tanjung Berembang Bridge on Route P169 here today.
The 2,130-metre long bridge was completed in March last year at a cost of RM28 million.
When tabling Budget 2023 yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that PIA and the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (LTSAAS) in Subang, Selangor would be expanded but construction of the new Kulim airport in Kedah would be stopped.
Chow, who is Batu Kawan MP, said the state government would also bid for several infrastructure projects not listed under Budget 2023, for implementation under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) rolling plan which runs until the end of this year.
He said state government departments had been asked to do follow-up checks with the ministers concerned for these projects to be listed in next year’s budget. – Bernama