Tan hopes Kimanis airport will still materialise
Published on: Saturday, August 10, 2024
By: Sherell Jeffrey
.jpg "Tan hopes Kimanis airport will still materialise")
Tan (left) with Sybil President James Wong.
Kota Kinabalu: Berjaya Group founder cum advisor Tan Sri Vincent Tan said he is still open to the idea of building a new international airport in Kimanis, despite apprehension towards the plan by the federal and state governments, as well as the Sabah public.
“Some of you may know that we have an agreement with your Qhazanah Sabah to build a new airport in Kimanis,” he said, referring to the MoU inked in 2022 when it was headed by former Chief Minister Datuk Salleh Said Keruak, who has since been replaced.
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The announcement was met with strong opposition from the public and tourism players who felt that the airport’s present location made Sabah a popular MICE venue.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Transport Minister Anthony Loke were also not in favour, saying all that KKIA actually needed was some improvements.
On the Sabah side, State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor also concurred that there was no urgency to relocate the airport, while noting that there was even ample land at the present site to accommodate expansion plans, if needed.
It is understood that another group had proposed that the new airport should be relocated to Tuaran, which was also shot down.
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Both the access points to Kimanis and Tuaran are now two of the most congested roads in Sabah with traffic jams lasting up to three hours at peak periods daily.
Tan revealed that the decision to build a new airport in Kimanis came after a dinner meeting.
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“Many people commented that the airport is overcrowded and people have to wait two to three hours sometimes to clear immigration,” Tan said at Sabah International Convention Centre, Thursday, where he was the key speaker at the Sabah CEO Master Class 2024 event.
The event was organised by the Sabah Young Business and Industry Leaders Network and in collaboration with the Malaysia International Chamber of Commerce & Industry Sabah Chapter.
“I suggested that instead of waiting eight to 10 years for Federal to build a new airport, I can join venture with Qhazanah and build a new one,” he said.
“The Federal, some people have certain views. First, they do not want to put up the money … they got a bit of reservation here and there, but I believe we can overcome it.
“The proposed new airport in Kimanis is a critical infrastructure project that addresses several pressing issues.
“KKIA currently has only one runway, which poses risks in the event of a plane collision or incident that blocks the runway,” he said.
He said the proposed new Kimanis airport, with two runways, will not only enhance the safety and efficiency of air travel in Sabah but also open up new opportunities for tourism development.
He also noted that the current KKIA occupies 900 acres which can be repurposed for hotels and other commercial ventures once the airport is relocated.
On the question of distance, he urged people to have a positive mindset.
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