KUCHING: The Federal Government has approved RM30mil for upgrading the Ba'Kelalan and Long Banga STOLports (short take-off and landing airports) in rural Sarawak, says Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
He said RM15mil would be allocated for each STOLport under the Airport Development Fund.
"This will be for upgrading the terminals and extending the runway where possible, because there are rivers near the end of the runway at these two STOLports," he said here on Friday (Aug 28).
"We want to ensure that STOLports in rural areas will be given a facelift.
"If the runway can be extended, the STOLports can accommodate more passengers," he added after launching the National Madani Taxi Renewal Programme for Sarawak at the Unifor Complex here.
He noted that the existing runways can only accommodate Twin Otter aircraft.
He said it was hoped that the design process for the Ba'Kelalan and Long Banga STOLport upgrading would begin this year.
Additionally, he said upgrading works were ongoing at the Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kota Kinabalu airports in Sabah as well as Miri Airport in Sarawak.
He also said construction work had started on a new airport in Lawas.
"This is a state government project under the Northern Region Development Authority (NRDA)," he said.
The new Lawas Airport in Sundar will replace the existing airport, which is prone to flooding, while enhancing connectivity and supporting economic growth in northern Sarawak.
