Federal govt to study proposals on airport from Kedah and Penang - Liow

The federal government will study the Kedah government's proposal to build a new international airport in Kulim, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said today. However, he said, he had yet to receive the proposal. He told this to reporters after attending the Bukit Bendera MCA annual meeting here today in response to an announcement on the proposed airport by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir. Mukhriz, had on June 12, said that Kedah was set to have a new international airport that would boost economic growth in the northern region. Kedah now has two airports, namely the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport and the Langkawi International Airport. On the Penang government's request for a second runway, Liow said the ministry would also study the matter. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today reiterated that the state needed a second runway and that it had enough land for building that additional facility. The request was based on the increasing number of passengers at the Penang International Airport, he said, and added that air freight had also increased because of foreign direct investment (FDI).