IPOH: The government has approved a RM60mil allocation for the expansion of Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming described the project as a long-awaited development and a special Chinese New Year gift from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the people of Perak.
“The project will be carried out in two phases, with RM8mil allocated for the first phase and RM52mil for the second. Additionally, the Ipoh City Council will contribute RM4mil to improve the airport’s entrance and exit routes,” he told a press conference after Anwar attended the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI) Chinese New Year open house at Weil Hotel on Friday (Jan 31).
Nga highlighted that the airport, which has a capacity of 500,000 passengers, exceeded its limit last year, reaching 512,000 passengers.
“With this expansion, the airport will be able to handle up to 700,000 passengers annually. There is also a 10.52ha (26-acre) plot of land adjacent to the airport designated for cargo development,” he said.
He added that the expansion and cargo project would strengthen Perak’s position by facilitating the export of high-value products to destinations such as Singapore and Bangkok.
Earlier, PCCCI president Datuk Liew Chee Ming urged the Prime Minister to prioritise Perak’s infrastructure development, including accelerating upgrades to the airport and Lumut Port to boost the state’s economic growth.
He called for the airport to be developed into a regional hub with direct flights from Ipoh to major Southeast Asian cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou in China.
“Additionally, we should capitalise on Singapore’s Changi Airport by increasing direct flights from Ipoh to Singapore, allowing travellers to connect to global destinations. At present, there are three daily flights between Ipoh and Singapore. The Perak state government should also push for direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh to attract international investors,” he added.
Liew also noted that this marked the first time in PCCCI’s 118-year history that a Prime Minister had attended its Chinese New Year open house, calling it a great honour for the Chinese business community.
“I hope this will bring further good news and opportunities for Perak’s economic development,” he said.
